New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-03
SCENES At 4 BICYCLE SCHOOL.

|
| DIFFERENT CLASSES or PVpIisS-THE VffETr.
! AS THE E,iANC1PAToE or THE FRENCH MAID.
The bicycle schoo. is tie rosduary legatee Of the
roller-skating rink. That doesn't mean that 1t has
fallen heir oil the fools whom the roller-skans
! craze faiec to Kill though Crcuty old gentlemen
who object to tine new woman in boomers may
think. The true eXegcss OF the text is that h
bicycle school presents the compound o.
amusement mingled with gy;nnastic exercise an
the wholesale consumption of sticking plaster
which the skatingrink offered the feminine genera
ton before this. The patrons OF the bicycle rdn z
school may be divided into two classes-those who
think they ride and those who know they can =.
The distinction however. is matter of words only.
Cycling IL a graceful sport--f the 'see-that-hump"
variety OF rider be enccpted-but the process OF
learning to ride IS not. The iiitiatory step IL the
girdling of the fair tyro with broad belt which
has handles like a shawl-s'rap. This compels the
Instructor put his around the tyro's waist.
II she is fair promised above. the instructor
omts this ceremony and contents himself with
giving the belt a fling AM then walking around 70
the other side to do the buciling The next act is
the mount. The instructor shows his victim how
to grasp the hande-bars pace the right foot the
off pedal. which should be well forward Of the cen
trail position and then s9.iIg .a;o the saddle with
forward push.
That's the theory.
In practice she usual; bop, straight up in the air
II trying to sit a ferco. Unless the instructor =
lateral bracing is equal to that of steel office build
ing this act Closes with = general downfall and
squeas Of terror from the leading lady. After being
lodged in the saddle there Is general shaking out
OF skirts or adjus tment of boomers, and then of
they go. the instructor hanging to one OF the
handles Of the shawl-strap.
into one of three types of subject First there is
the woman who sits in the saddle with stess salts
thing ever tried" She allows the instructor to
h , the mall @ the whGe
to ride she is in a fair way to do SON ABOUT one
grasps the handle-bar If she would wrench it
from it's socket She strains at the pedals Ike
lusty truck horse whose driver has overloaded him.
She has about as much idea OF the principles or
n ana OF the 1hereof as e
fender in twelve-knot breeze. while she grits
to ass s a instead Of cure the Gsy The
instructor lectures and expostulates. and sways to
szzard Ie thu ear o proptat ts outraged laws
OF gravitaton. but all In vain. still there Is hope
for this type OF beginner. She will learn. after she
gets tired enough to listen and give up the struggle
to run thirgs herself
The third and rarest type s the pupil who realizes
that the OF gravity be over the base OF
support. and that firm but light touch on pedal
and handle-bar is the easiest way keep 1t there
When the asDrant for wheeling honors gets so
she circle around the hall with the alert in
structor few feet In the rear she thinks she has
solved the problem OF equilibrium and become a
wheelwoman. But even wren she has thrown OH
the instructor and the shawl-srap altogether. the
end is yet
\ bright young matron. the heroine OF hall
lessons. invited her lord and master TO come
to n Broadway rink to see her ride the other even
ing having boosted i'm advance OF her prowess
She spun merrily around and around the rink from
right TO left. and hubby was suitably Impressed
Then he Winked at the instructor and said
Let's gee you go around the other way.
The unfortunate woman had never ridden around
that way. Her not adjusted to right
hand turns and in the brave first attempt she
nearly tore out the efi-hand side OF the building
piled the wreck OF the machine up In the first cor
ner. which she found II interchangeable TO dodge
and the laughter OF her unieellng husband started
a family Jar that lasted week.
pc ,uliar feature OF the wheeling craze is the
emancipation OF the waiting maid. Well-to-do
women have their maids instructed so they can
ride In street and rink with them. In the twentieth
century tho groom i'm buttons riding respectfully
In the OF his mistress horseback. viii be re-
placed By the French maid trundling along on a
shining wheel Buttons and beavers will give place
TO white caps and black gowns. SO many 'iirta
tious'' maids frequent popular riding school on
the usual servants might out" OF each week that
the instructors completely absorbed. The neg
lecteI mistresses have been allowed wobble
around IN solitude until they have crossed that
evening off the bicycling calendar, dubping u
maids night