New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-12
, o,r ,.uv rR1HNF FRIDAY JUNE ls6-sIxTEEN PAGES

ately precede the end OF the world are the revo-
lutlons Of the bicycle wheels.
Rut no one listens to these DIRECTORS Europe'
like America Is bicycle mad. Soverelshs e~
change their crown for jaunty bicycle cap, anu
mount the wheel instead Of the throne. rri"
cesses who used to murmur TO their ser'i'e
maids, us my diadem on straight! now iie-
quenty ride ten or fifteen miles pelore wv
fast There Is a story Of High Church Ahs"-
can Clergyman who rides from the rectory TO
the parish church on a wheel, hapiteo III HIS
cassock and surplice but we refuse 10 pe"e'e
n Some enemy of the Church has started the
story The English clergy, however, are arueh'
bicycliss Many Of them have Sunday services
at hours convenient for wheelmen, ana DE-
Sheepshanks Bishop Of Norwich, rides the wheel
on Sunday wearing his Episcopal shovel hat'
knee breeches and black silk stockings In lieu
If an ordinary bicycle suit. Even the London
costermongers, who used to go knocKlh OH
the old Kent road on picturesque Vehicite
drawn by "'orses'' now beginning TO ride the
bjcycle on the Continent 1t Is the same way
You would think that Venice, with us canals
for streets; Venice. the bride or the Adriatic'
with it's literature of song and story lhspireu
by the gondOla, would be safe from the lhtrusio"
y, Tho bicvcle But it is not Recent dispatches
say
mania and citizens who used to regard the
canals az sacred and inviolate institutions no"
call them swampy old bitches. and want to
know why they can't be filled UP ana turned
into bicvce paths Pretty soon the bicycle Will
have all lands for its own. Already, indeed II
has reached "the purple East" The Chinese
shudder at It as a new form OF foreign devil
scorchers In part-colored blazers are startling
rho camel OF the Egyptian desert with visions
~ a comel-less age and the high spirited steeds
Of Arabia distend their nostrils at the spectacle
Of wheelrncn pedalling at the foot OF Mount
sinoi There are bicycles in the Holy Lana ana
uero Ezekiel alive to-day he might find In them
a. neyv suggestion for his famous chapter on
wheels.
But It Is In little things most Of all, perhaps
that the dominance Of the wheel is shown The
London Morning POST the other day printed
an advertisement that is both unique and sug-
gestive 1t was follows
Would some pneumat!caly minded lover OF Church
Work GIVE Curatc's wife Cushon-tyred I.ADl >
BICYCLE2-For details apply Cycc' 1870 3d.
Strand ". c.
There Is much in this advertisement that 10
obscure What Is a "pneumaticaliy minded
lover OF church work." IL II another way OF
saving "eplritually minded" 'pneuma" being
the Greek word for spirit? or does It have some
reference to the pneumatic tyre OF bicycle?
And II so what has II got to do with church
work? Or 10 pursue the point further how
would the possession Of cushion tyred ladies'
birye" help IA curatc's wife 70 DO church work,
.nasmuch as the chief work OF most curates
wives is TO take OF growing family
Why-but what IS the use OF asking any more
questions? The "ad" is fascinating, but full o,
insouble mysteries. Only one thing stands GU,
In clear light I'm reading it-that Is that every
body nowadays want. n bicycle. The wheel IS
great and enormous is its prolific the fortuna'"
makers u H.