Birmingham state herald., 1896-06-07

years later they would have been happy all day in watching the wheels go up and down the streets.
 There is something fascinating in the sight of well ridden bicycle. It is all in the riding. The "scorcher," humpbacked over his handle bars and pedalling away for dear life with plaster cast do-or-die expression on his face, is not pretty picture; neither is the too stout woman of mature years, who makes guy of her self in inappropriate costume, but the erect, easy rider, sensibly and not loudly clad, skimming gracefully over the road, is delight to the eye and inspires bit of envy on the part of the looker-on whose two-wheeled education has been neglected.
 Rightly used and not abused, the bi- cycle is one of the end of the century boons to mankind-and Womankind-and one of the best things 1t bids fair to bring about is a sentiment that will demand, and secure, throughout all the land good roads that will make vehicular travel less of a penance to man and beast.
 
 Wheelwomen will welcome with hearty accord one of the latest devices in con- nection with the bicycle. This is de- tachable guard for both chain and rear wheel. These new guards are fastened by hooks attached to short coiled springs and can be removed and replaced in trice Those who have struggled long and oftentimes vainly to clean a chain or wheel will call down blessings on the head of the inventor of the detachable guards.
 "There is really no occasion for a chap eron accompanying cycling parties,' said one of those delightful professional propriety guardians to me the other day. ''The young people who wheel become so engrossed in the sport that they never think of indulging in any of the little un- utterable follies liable to develop at other functions"
 "Why, then, do you insist on gooing out in the capacity of chaperon," I asked.
 70, dearr she exclaimed, q do love to ride and be In young peoples company, too and l would be left out If 1t were not for my presence being required im- press mammas with the fact that I am indispensable"
 There is no denying the fact that the American rider who has been touring In Europe comes home feeling much diSsat- isfied with the highways over which he must ride in his own country. The al most universal perfection of the high ways in Europe and Great Britain, in even the remote and sparsely settled dis tricts has astonished and delighted him. He has known the pleasure of r.dng for hours, or days even, without the necessity of scarcely a glance at the road before him. Eyes and mind could be given al- most entirely to the natural beauties or the interesting things that He all about one in his tours in a foreign cline. He has, perhaps, ridden for weeks over such highways, and came home to find roads that are disgrace to the natlon-that make him long to pitch his wheel into me nearest ditch and never ride again; roads that demand the close attention of even experienced riders, and seldom permit them to enjoy the beauties by the way without dismounting to do so.
 The poorness of our country highways ds blot upon our boasted civil ga ton and progression, and it is little wonder that the matter is becoming political is- sue with us. It is well that so many wheelmen are crossing the ocean for European tour. They will come home eager advocates for good roads, and never rest content until we really have them.
 When spring comes and with 1t the flowers-it does not affect the bloom of the rose to call 1t by any other name This boomer looks just as beautiful, and gives forth just as fragrant perfume. And the other bloomerl They may call 1t what they will, they may deride 1t to their hearts content, yet the wearer knows its advantages and goes on wear ing it to her entire personal enjoyment. The mere statement that 1t is "unfaSh- ionable" or unhealthy" or "ungracefuF' does not carry sufficient weight to con- demn it. As a matter of fact, it is as healthful a garment as can be worn, and infinitely more so than the Skirt, generally accepted as an essential part of woman's dress and so often bedrag- gled Boomers are as fashionable today as they ever were. The mere statement to the contrary by a few tailors who are ever ready to change the styles does not satisfy those who have tried the bloom CTS and found them entirely satisfac- tory. As matter of fact, the tailor who would change the styles would do so only for his personal interests, for he knows that if the multitude will follow his lead like sheep it means an additional revenue for him Fashion is made by the people and not by the taiors, and while all the people" are not wearing bloom CTS today there are thousands who are, and still many more are awaiting an op- portunity ito silence the tongue of the gossiper and character defamer, when they, too, will adopt them.
 Here is a sample-horrible sample-of the deadly bicycle pome:
 She is a bicycle girl
 With hair in the loveliest curl,
 She is fresher than clover,
 My heart she rides over,
 She is a bicycle, bicycle girl!
 It gives us the greatest pleasure in the world to assist in arranging the crown of fame on the fair authoress' head, but why-and we ask it all in sincerity-is the young maid so fresh? Certainly it is a characteristic which should not be commended but while we are about it., why that gentle insinuation in the line that she sees double? "She is a bicycle, bicycle girl" indeed. Why not say tan dem and save space? And then we are not told if the tires of her wheel are non puncturable, otherwise when my heart she rides over" she is liable to meet with disastrous results. But when spring comes we must prepare ourselves for such outbreaks against the peace of the sane community.-American Wheelman. The average man cannot or will not appreciate the martyrdom his women kind have to suffer in the matter of dress; else, surely he would not be so heartless in his frequent references to it. The new woman has so long been the object of his gibes and jeers that it is no wonder she has become sensitive about her appearance on the wheel. and in con