The evening times., 1896-08-05
WILL THE SECRETARYMARRY
Dame ,Rumor Says Mr.. Herbert W.ll
,., Take a Bride to Europe.
The Diversions Enjoyed by Society
Gay World Gossip and Doings.

T The washington bicycle girl has gone
crazy OF. buttons When she isn't scorch-
ing she is collecting buttons.
The button craze is not confined to any
particular class. 1t pervades all bike.
kind The society girl, who lives in the
aristocra.ic puflieus of Connecticut ave-
nue. and rides wheel that cost a hundred
dollars or more, is equally Infected with
the girl who can -only occasionally enjoy
the luxury of ride at so much per hour.
A bicycle agent who sells many wheels
10 the swagger set, In speaking today Of
the button fad. said: .
Il have never seen anything like it.
1t is quite unaccountable. You see. it
is this way: Every bicycle manuiac.
turer gets out a button, with the name
OF his make upon 1t. There are between
$50 and 200 makes in all. aud that makes
"a big variety or buttons.
,, ''Some Lime ago the run on buttons
commenced. and since then 1t has steadily
Increased. Until r. mas become a nuisance
Dozens OF women aud girls come in here
every day asking for buttons. The other
day carriage stopped at the door, with
a coachman and footman, and handsome
sA'NosS-uSN'A hohs SOp oot "ud tttiR- iii
here to ask for a button Needless to
say we, gave it to her"
"what do they do with the buttonso''
''They make button holes in ribbons and
string them into necklaces as IA usual thing
Sometimes they make them into bracelets
and wear them as such. Others useNtilem
as 4 sort of a corsage appendage and one
enterprising young lady made NUM- bcr OF
them into a garter There are all styles of
wearing them, some very striking and
original"
Inquiry at the other bicycle establish
ments revealed the same state of affairs
All the agents testified to the extent and
Eirulenoe of the button fad, and expressed
the hope that some restraining influence
would soon be exercised upon it.
In New York the cyclists have another
and more aristocratic fad. which will doub
less In due course OF time reach Washing
ton. The women OF Fashion there are giving
names to their wheels.
Miss Virgie Fair, daughter OF the late
senator Fair, started the fad. She calls
her bicycle '.Fleetwing." and the name is
engraved on u silver plate.
Many OF the fashioDa bic set have followed
her example, and II is now quite the thing
for The young lady of fashion 10 give orders
TO prepare "whirlwind,'' ''Quickpace'' or
Mercury, for her morning ride.
Across the big pond they have neither
names nor buttons. There they run To
inotioes. Its the proper thing in Engla nd
TO have a motto inscribed upon the wheel.
This rad has proved so popular that an Eng
iish magazine is offering prizes for the mos,
suitable notices, and the list is now a long
and interesting one. Among those offered
are The following:
Turn. turn. my wheel! What is begun
At daybreak. must at dark be DONE
TIP with me. up with me. into the
clouds"
Push on; keep moving"
Created half to rise and half to fall"
III attitudes test,
Why I reckon it's confessed
That I've done my level best
Wheeling their march and circling still."
''Sir. she can turn and turn and yet go
on and turn again"
-- You perform your antic round"
"A habitation giddy and insure"
spin forever" ,,
1--WE rode: and it seemed my Spirit flew,
Saw other regions, cities new,
:. As the world rushed by on either side"