Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-08-13
A A OF BOOMERS.
EFOREb bicycling becamea a

- even so much as the shadow of a
quarrel between Mr.. and Mrs. Gran
ston. But after Mrs. Cranston bought
a bicycle and learned to ride well there
was a disagreement which came very
near breaking up a happy home. They
had been married three years, and they
had often said that their married life
had been m long honeymoon.
Tom had yielded so readily to all of
his wife's whims that she had uncon-
sciously gained an opinion that her
word was to him like the laws Of the
Modes and the Persians.
But this idea was all knocked to
pieces when one morning as they sat
q breakfast Mrs. Cranston said
tom, I'm going to order my dress
maker to make Il suit of boomers for
me to-day. l do so much bicycling now
that skirts are too heavy for me-"
WHAT shouted Tom, dropping his
spoon in the oatmeal and scattering
milk all over his necktie, looking at her
as though she had announced that she
was going to commit suicide.
49,. Cranston also dropped her spoon
and looked in surprise at her husband.
II said.' she repeated. that l was 60
ing to get a bloomer suit. What strikes
youas particularly strange about that:'
What strikes me as particularly
stranger" he repeated, with a wild look
in his eyes. do you think for II in
slant that l will allow my wife to race
around town looking like a Autograph
of a variety entertainment? Not much
But, Tom" said Louise, in a tone
that had never failed to persuade her
husband that she was right and that he
was wrong. Il don't see why l can't
have boomers. Mrs. Kynaston and
Mrs. Bentley and Mrs. Jennings all
veal them and their husbands don't
object. SO why should you"'
1T makes no difference why l should
said Tom. doggedly. Il don't intend
to have my friends on the exchange
coming to me and saying Tom, l see
your wife's wearing boomers Not if
l know it,"
But, Tom she began, IT,
ooh, don't talk any more nonsense,
Louise" he broke in. Il an sick Of it.
You sha'n't wear boomers. SO that set
ties it," And Mr.. Cranston, whose APP
petite had been entirely taken away by
his wife's announcement, got up from
the table and started for the door.
"Good-by," he called from the hall.
and then the door slammed, and Louise
sat at the breakfast table wondering
how it was that she had never before
known that her husband had a will Of
his own.
She had told all of her friends, only
the day before, that she would be wear
ing boomers within a week, and when
they had suggested that her husband
might object she had said
What! Tom object? Why, he never
objects to anything"
And now Tom had absolutely refused
to allow her to wear them, with a facial
expression which showed that he would
not stop short Of the divorce courts to
prevent it.
Finally she arose from the table and
went to her room.
She had an idea which she thought, if
properly carried oft, would gain Toms
consent to the wearing Of boomers. She
wrote a hurried note to her dressmaker
ordering a bloomer suit Of a pattern
which she had already selected, and
then donned her old bicycle suit to pay
a call on Mrs. KynastOn, who had a
husband that did not object to bloom
erS.
She told her troubles to the vivacious
Mrs. Kynaston, who was not sparing in
her sympathy for the poor friend who
had a narrow-minded husband who OBJ
jected to a convenient bicycle dress.
why, how foolish of him. she said.
II don't believe the poor man has ever
seen a proper bicycling costume. I'll
tell you what we'll do. Wen all go
bicycling this afternoon, and come back
by your house at just the time your hus-
band gets home, and he will see what
a bloomer suit looks like"
And so the bicycle party was arrang-
ed. and when Thomas Cranston arrived
at his house that evening lie saw five
women riding in front of the house and
four Of them were in full bloomer Co.'S
tune. The fifth, who wore skirts, was
his wife.
He was mot 90 badly shocked as he
thought he would be, and he wished
that he had mot been 90 decided In his
refusal Of his wife's request, but he
made up his mind that it would be un-
manly to yield after his remarks Of TIN,
incoming. and 20 with a bow to his wiz
ana her companions he went indoors
and began to dress for dinner.
That night LOnise again preached IL"
subject Of boomers. bat her husband ~
fenced her by saying:
Now. see here. Louise, don't speak to
me about boomers again. You may 90
In for women's rights il you like. and
you may wear standing collars and
mems w~aistcoats, but you shall not
wear trousers, even II bicycling does
Justify it in your eyes"
''T~rousers" cried Louise, Indignantly.
'Who said anything about trousers?
I was talking about boomers"
II know you were." said Mr.. Gran
ston. "nnd please don't talk about them