Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-08

Either duet, La Bayadere" CNoeroth)-
Harry G. and Charles w. Shipp.
| Reading. "Old Ace" Fred Emerson
| Brooks)-May e. Shipp.
| Bells, Echoes from the London Stee-
| ples"-1. The bells of ST. Paul pealing
| (approaching). 2. The town hall chimes
and several clocks striking the hour OF
| three. 8. The hymn "Rockingha M from
neighboring steeple. 4. The bells of
| Westminster striking the quarter half
| three-quarters and hour chimes, and the
striking of big Ben" 5. The hymn
| "Wareham" from a steeple in the dis
| lance. 6. The pealS of st. Paul (receding)
-Shipp brothers
Duet, banjorine and banjo "Love and
Beauty" waltZes (Armstrong)-Harry G.
| and Charles w. Shipp.
Reading, Her romance" (Bret Harte)-
May e. Ship.
Either solo. "Gluckliche Augenblicle"
(Noeroth)-Harry G. Ship.
Bells (selected)-Shipp brothers.
Reading (selected)-May E. Shipp.
Bells, Turkish Patrol (Michaelis)-
Shipp brothers.
Miss Gertrude Marx of Texas is the
guest of her sister, Mrs. H. H. Sinnige, at
her home on the South Highlands
AS the bicycle fad seems to be increas-
ing in strength and gathering power with
every day of spring sunshine and bids
fair to possess our town somewhat like
the measles, the following debate upon
kindred theme will prove refreshing to
many readers. This debate occurred sew
eral weeks ago at the high school in the
Clio Literary circle, and was upon the
question, Resolved, That there is no inn
propriety in wearing boomers when rid
ing a bicycle" with Misses Mary Sholl
and Florence Lopez for the affirmative,
and Misses Elvira Lewis and Annie Belle
ltor, for 11n
tunate in being able to publish this morn
ing two of the papers read:
Resolved That there is no improperly
in wearing boomers when riding a bicy-
cle''
Affirmative-Since the subject of wear
ing boomers Is to be discussed in the
form of debate, / will ask my friends
present to listen for short time to the
sensible side of the subject, as | boldly
assert that it is good form, sensible, at
tractive and eminently proper to wear
boomers and ride wheel.
1t is with much pleasure that | note
that there are no 'old fogies'' present this
eVening-with, of course, the exception
of my two friends that represent the 9TH
er side-so we are able to view this sub
ject from a sensible standpoint and with
common sense as a corner stone on when
to build a dress reform which snail re-
dound with credit to our names.
In the outset let me first request of my
audience, in behalf of my friends, the en-
envy, that when they begin their labored
remarks that you give them your kind
attention for it is necessary for some to
be on the wrong side in order that we
may have debate and settle the matter
for the rest of woman kind and for gen.
| erations yet unborn.
1t will be quite amusing to you and me
| to sit and listen to the absurd ideas that
| they will advance, for no doubt they will
| draw beautiful pictures of young Quaker
girls, and hold them up for our alteration
But we will laugh in our shoes, and
| next year laugh in our boomers, at the
| idea that a sensible young lady of our
acquaintance ever dared to oppose the
| coming fad.
But / said we would discuss the subject
| on the platform of common sense-not
| that we could not defeat our opponents
| on any and every other platform, but be-
| cause the women of this age. with two
| exceptions, are women of common sense
In the first place, the doctors all agree
| that cycling is a healthful exercise for
| women. Well, If this is true, Jet us take
| our exercise in the most graceful cos
| tune
| Shall our friends ever see us coming
| down the avenue astride wheel with
out skirts flying in the air. looking like
| some great lumber bus, /" frightening an
| imals and harmless men and causing
| numberless runawayS? Why certainly
| not We will wear boomers and be ad-
mired as graceful riders of the wheel.
Perhaps you may hear my opponents
say that it is not attractive to wear
! boomers and ride a wheel. Welh II
| they should, we can settle that subject
] you just come to see me and L Will lend
| YOU my wheel and boomers and you take
| a spin up and down First avenue, and
| I'll wager as a result that on your re-
| turn trip there won't be three men IN
| town who hadn't seen you; and what are
/ Itx,it, for. ion IN
| Now | perceive that smile is broaden
| ing on the countenance of my opponents,
| for i have come to the last of my asser-
| tions, viz: That it Is eminently proper to
| wear boomers when riding WHEEL. Well,
| if it isn't proper, why isn't 1t?
Two young ladies' on wheels are riding
| down the street on a windy day. One is
| attired in a neat jacket boomers and
| Gather leggings, and as the wind Wills
| ties down the avenues 1t only kisses her
| cheeks, fans her curly locks and passes
on to young lady No. 2, who is putting
| and blowing to catch up with her COM
| panion The wind strikes her, and pump
| ing that wheel is like pushing sail boat
! against the wind. Her skirts are first
| against the spokes of her wheel and then
over her head, and she is fairly out of
breath as her companion, out of pity,
| Stacks up for her
| Now. my friends, if you are going to
| ride a Wheel what will you wear? As for
| me LII wear boomers.
| MARY SHOLL.
Resolved, That there Is no impro-
! priety in wearing boomers when riding
| bicycle
| The wearer of boomers is geological
| specimen which scientists have failed to
| classify-neither man nor woman; lack
] ing masculine strength and sterling
| bravery, destitute of feminine shyness
and modesty. People have given this
peculiar animal the name of 1.-THE new
| woman.
An attempt to introduce boomers, this
| fanciful fashion of woman's dress, was
| first made in the year 1S4S by Mrs. Lu-
| cretia Mott, whose death occurred a COM
paratively short time ago. This woman,
| queer and eccentric, was, we imagine,
! the boss of the house, We sometimes see
women of this kind. We picture her hus-
| band a poor, wretched, hen-pecked,
weather-bea man, resembling Rip
| Van Wrinkle as he wandered about the
| town, or sat in the grog shop in order to
| escape the abuse at home. How could
man be manly, happy and prosperous
| when associated with a wife of this kind!
| He of course, had to nurse, cook and at
! tend to the marketing, If any such work
was done at ALL while Mrs. Mott was out
J \