The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-27

so little around the waist that / can put
on a skirt three inches too long and make
IL look pretty by tucking II up under the
belt But with boomers / am helpless
1 have to put on the size they give me.
and what an awful guy do make of my
self. Yesterday a long, thin woman, who
has ridden the bicycle for two years, came
limping in. Her skirt had caught in the
guard and she had made up her mind to
wear boomers.
THE sa1eswoman picked out pair
and then the long, thin woman wanted
somebody to try them on. Again they
sent for me. / was Off riding a wheel
around the store for dear life, pretending
l had customer, but they saw through
tho ruse. | had to go in the dressing
room AID put on those awful boomers
They were too small around the legs.
the band dld not meet around me. That
woman was like a lath The legs reached
to my ankles. In that awful trim, and
holding up the boomers at the belt. I had
to mount and ride around the store. All
, the while l had to smile and make the
| boomers look as graceful as l could.
was glad when it was over.
I'VE have got lot of rational GUS
| toners that want knickerbockers. They
select them from the gentlemen's fur
nishing department and bring them 10
me to try on. / put them on and ride
around the store. But l can't say that
| / like TO wear Knockers for a whole shop
| full of people to stare at. But that's one
of the penalties Of being a bicycle model.
You think our life Is a nice easy one
so much better than studio models. But
| | tell you that after you have been a
| bicycle model you think posing for the
nude a nice, cheerful existence At
least you are treated with respect and
have some degree of respect for your
| self. But in my business you have none
at all.
"a woman came In yesterday for a
pair of boomers She was a nice, plump,
| little woman and | put on her boomers
and rode around the store in them.
How lovely l shall look exclaimed she
when l slid off the saddle and stood be-
| fore her. ss
To-day she came back with the bloom
ers. They are positively horrid,' said she,
| throwing them down on the counter.
That stupid bicycle woman sold them
10 me They make me look horribly
knock-kneed am not knockIkneed my
self. DO you suppose that stupid bicycle
woman stretched them when she rode
round the store? I'll bet anything she Is
knock -kneed'
THAT IS one class OF customers. An
| other woman came I'm here and wanted
TO know II l would ride a little bow
| legged, as she wanted to see II she could
wear knlckerbockers with that slight pa
II .
once 1 Indignantly declined.
You would be surprised to know how
easily we bicycle models earn q living az
| ter we learn to pocket every ounce or
pride we own. Being expert opponents
of the reigning fad we pick up money
! as II were. day and night. All day long
/ work here. But when the shop closes
/ up ] start out upon a more paying career
than any that has dominated my days
THAT sounds mysterious. Listenl In
/ q very fashionable uptown riding acad-
envy where riders are allowed 70 take
their own wheels for practice. and where
| beginners struggle for their equipoise,
l you may see nightly very stylish young
| woman riding nickel-plated wheel.
/ That young woman is myself. In the
| dressing-room OF that academy Is a
| handsome suit of pale blue cloth, trim
med with taneta and touched with steel,
/ the loveliest thing you ever beheld IN
your life. That suit is for me. Every
| night go up to that academy, put on
| the suit and bring out my nickel-plated
wheel and / mount and ride. Round
and round ! go until 10 o'clock, time 20
| close up.
THE place Is filled with spectators. wo-
men see me and fall in love with bicycle
/ riding. Men behold that neat, graceful
| figure circling around In dignity. and they
| give their wives permission TO go and do
likewise. A dozen new pupils are added
nightly on my account. Ihe academy pays
me $40 a week for riding every night; and
my only evening off IS Saturday night,
when / am at the store.
would you like 10 know anything more
| about the bicycle model and how she
stands her employer in good stead? II you
would. sit where you are and listen, for
see that I am going to make a sale. That
woman coming along has just learned to
ride, and she wants a wheel. / must got
Wait long enough to note how easily L
shall mount just as she happens along"
Helen Ward
niN ,.,.t 80 uyai,.aa go - &.