Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-15
STRONG PLEAFOR THE GIRLS
What One Woman Thinks Of the Morality of
Wheeling.
Companions With Other Social Oc-
cupations That Score Heavily
for the Bicycle.


If 1 know it." is heard In almost any d.
rection we turn. And yet, there are 10
avenues unfrequented by the woman b-
cycle rider, no spot not visited by the
wheel; there Is scarcely a tree in our resi-
dence streets that of an evening has not
one or two or sometimes three bikes
resting peacefully against it. Nor is this
all one sees: there are bikes" everywhere,
bikes turning. Whizzing. spinning. until
they make the pedestrians head swim at
the sight, and his heart fierce with envy
that there is not one of those living-yes,
| living-restless happy. Misunderstanding
creatures waiting to be steered by him
about this garden of the United States.
this wonderful realization OF George Wash
ington's most glorious dream.
And why would not you. who object to
your daughter bicycling. object to her rid
Ing In a carriage. in cart sitting side by
side with her coachman, snugly tucked in
with the same blanket or carriage robe!
That's all I'll say on that score, merely
suggesting the propriety Of 1t. nothing
more. But II I had wife. or a daughter.
or a sweetheart. friend, I'd never APP
coachman!
A girl or woman on bicycle Is free
as the air that cuts her face she flies
over the streets or roads. A girl on a hi-
cycle IS the most independent girl in Chris
tendon. She is not incumbered with long
fussy betrimmed petticoats. Yet the
graceful short skirt compromises the ques-
ton of dress and leaves no thought of
immodesty lurking about her.
Shows her lower limbs"'
Admitted! l would like to know what is
| the difference in showing the lower limbs
clad in a neat-fitting costume, and flying
| cut Of the way of the vulgar world and
building and wearing a reception dress
sans everything but skirt, and that made
SO heavy that it is enough to break or
| binary woman's back to lift it. let alone
| dragging 1t about over the thick pile Of
velvet carpets, night after night, during
the season" If these women wko haul
their trains Of f1ummery after them as they
| do at their public social functions Were
compelled to be hitched to a lawn mower
| and told to trundle that after them fifteen
minutes a day. they would face no worse
or more harmful alternative.
! Pray. what is the difference from a moral
] standpoint, between a pair OF natty knick-
| erbockers, a neat pair Of high bicycle boots
or leggins short. pretty skirt on
young wman out in the broad light OF day.
| spinning with all her might. getting all the
| oZone she can in her lungs. and the ex-
| posture incident to the surrender to the
I mandates of foolish achions in the matter
Of womans garh?
| II my daughter shall not bicycle from
/ standpoint OF dress. then my daughter
| should not dress in ravisling becominSness
| In the costumes of her ancient relatives. IN
| the habits or gowns prescribed by the Tor
| eign courts. If 1t is that she is thrown In
| with all sorts of people. then she must not
| attend any other place OF assembly or walk
/ on the street. for. go where one Will on
| Gods great round earth, there one finds
people! peoplei people!M Good people, bad
people; doctor, lawyer. merchant. chiei:
rich man, poor man. beggar man, thief.
| Editors, ministers Senators. Representa-
| tives. accompanied by their wives. their
| them awheel you find them walking. driv-
| Ing riding and using every tmaginanie
| kind of conveyance that man has planned
| and built since the beginning OF the pro-
| md fY,n
| people, people just as good my dear moral
| istic prudes. as your daughter; as good as
! any other mans daughter; as good as my
I daughter would he II had one.
! Give your daughter a wheel II you can
| afford 1t; give her at the same time little
| sound advice: and If she is a level-hea ded
| world all awheel She has as good a
chance Of looking her father and mother
| honestly in the face after good, health
| giving spin as she has after displaying her
| charms at one Of our fashionable recep-
| tions where dear Count Look-me-up vies
| with Baron Push to-the-front In supplying
her with ices. and the colonel from Ken
| lucky treads on the young cadets toes try
I Ing to rescue her bit of rare lace she acct
| dentally drops. and where dear old General
| Bite-your-nose-of escorts her out to the
| balcony or into the conservatory and tells
| her in the very hest English he can com
mand that he would like rosebud from
| her corsage. Your daughter. anybody's
/ daughter. will pass through this ordeal and
| look happy at you. any other father. II
she ia properly trained, and say: "Oh what
! q good time did have!'
H. 1t is not the low necks. the sleeveless
waists. nor the betreusered limbs Of our
girls that bring them to sadness and long
| nights Of tears and our hearts in sorrow to
| the grave. Nor is 1t the fashionable recep
| ton nor the different methods or manners
4 Of amusements. nor the poor, much-abused
| bicycle. 1 declare honestly 1t is thing but
! ourselves on whom the fates Of our chill
dren rest Look at the nature you have
| given your daughter: then put her where
| you please if you know she Is able to with
| stand all temptation. But don't for .heav-
| ems sake don't blame the defenseless out
| come of an ective mans brains. the bicycle.
| for her tendencies, for her weak and dis
| eased spine or any other human ailty or
! frailty to which her irresponsible flesh may
be heir.
| I don't ride a bicycle. am not a ranting
| moralist nor q besoured old creature out
| of society, but plain lover Of human
| ture, glad to see the sweet girl hlushing in
| her pretty costume at the ball. happy to see
| her in her natty suit on her bike and I
| can always breathe after her God bless
her. wherever ] see bright, CHEEKY and
| happy face. and that she may be allowed
| all the sweet privileges due her sex, with
| bike in the bargain, is my wholesome
| and heartsome wish
BETA BRUCE-STAR
| The Pace That Kills.