The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-08


Which Have Been Ousted by the
Wheel--A Rejuvenator for the
Dancing, Parlor Girl of Winter.
Bicycle Jcwciry a Fad--How 20
Look Wei Awhecl.
In paper read before the Massachu-
sets Women's Suffrage Association re-
Gently Miss Eva Claiming discussed
matters in relation to THE Bicycle as
a Factor in Modern Life" She said
that 1t had wrought revolutions in
many phases of social life. The most
important influence of the wheel so far,
thought the speaker, was upon the
health of women. 1t gives them an op-
portunity to work off superhuous mus
cular energy and NERVES" The ideal
costume, like the ideal saddle, is yet to
be devised, but much has been done
in the direction of dress reform. Accord
ing to Miss Claiming, the bicycle has
struck blow at two of the worst
social evile, smoking and drinking 1t
has banished the corset and taken the
place of cheap literature. Another ser
vice is taking people into country
of the city. She referred to the effect
of the bicycle upon the different
branches of business.
The wheel has proved a perfect boon
to the girls who have passed a winter
in the whirl of dances, parties and
other dissipations with their attendant
late hours. There is nothing that will
restore the fresh bloom of health to a
yellow complexion and the luster to the
eyes of the society girls, as the fresh
| air exercise on the cycle. The wheeI is
a perfect rejuvenator and during the
spring season many a girl has taken
systematic wheeling exercise with the
result that she is the gamer in health
and good looks.
A new belt which recommends itself
to feminine cyclists is being shown by
one of the leading dry goods stores
Constructed of leather links in the
same manner as the new leather watch
chain for gentlemen, with the eXcep-
| tiOn that the belt is three links wide.
1t lends itself to every movement of
! the body In addition to this because
! OF the links, it admits free circulation
/ ana is, therefore, cool. All who have
| ridden much are aware of the discom-
/ forts attendant upon wearing a thick
! leather belt, through which air cannot
! percolate, and it is a relief to learn
that remedy has been found for it.
! The leather is pliable and of a fine tex
ture that Immediately engages the
| eyes.
In Germany, and, it is said, also in
the United States and England a craze
| Is developing for bicycle jeWelry. A
code of signals has been evolved with
various colored enameled "bikes. "
| winch are worn in miniature as scarf
pins. bike" pin set off with purple
! enamel is nothing short of a downright
proposal, for purple is the royal color.
and the meaning thereof is, You are
my queen" If the rim is yellow the
meaning is "Au revoir-I'm off for a
voyage" A small bike" for a solitary
individual means, Il intend to remain
| q bachelor" a twO-inch tandem, 1--WE
are only flirting;" a duplex machine.
TN matrimonially incllned;" a line
of four or five tiny "scorchers," "You
are tlirt," while the presentation of
an old-fashioned tricycle. is intended
| to intimate that the receiver Is con-
| sidered passe-"out of the runring,' -
to speak after the manner of turfmen
But the wheelman's interest in bicycle
jewelry undoubtedly centers in the BIZ
cycle engagement bracelet. There arr
several unique designs now in the mar
ket, OF which the most fetching IS un-
questionably the wheel-linked bracelet
This is made of a series of tiny bi-
cycle wheels, linked together with prec-
| CT nd p1
ture lantern, of which the light is a
glistening gem. An entire girdle is
sometimes made of tiny wheels, and
as a rule, the rims are profusely en-
ameled and the hub is single Jewel
Wheels in colored enamels are alsc
used for link cuff buttons, while larg-
er wheel, say about two inches in dia-
meter is converted into watch chate-
lsine. The watch is suspended handle
bars, and the watch itself in some in
stances has the appearance of a fairy
bike" A bicycle clock may be seer
ON the wheelwOman's dressing table
and a bicycle paper weight is found or
her desk. Her beautiful ivory toilet
set has silver wheel on the back OF
each place in place of the customary
monogram, and her stationery il
stamped with tiny machine in heI
club cOlors.
After a woman has been converted
to the wheel, then comes the momon-
tous question Of what kind of a whea
she should get, how long she should
ride at a time and what she should
wear. First, get a first-class make. L
you intend to purchase, it would bt
wise to ask the advice of some wheel
men, and thus get some idea of tn,
requisites of good wheel. Take plenty
of time about 1t and choose a good
comfortable saddle. The costume
should be above all things comfortable
and unpretentious. Light browns ant
dark grays are popular, as they do no
show the dust. Dark blue, green aaC
black are pretty but look rather worI
after a ride. But, on the other hand
the gray and brown show the Whee
grease. A very fetching costume is o
dark green with tan CATERS, cap anC
wide sailor collar. This is little OBJ
trusive, but not conspicuous Tn
regular riding shoes are the best, anC
that which shades the face is recon-
mended. Too much cannot be said il
condemning corsets in riding, and es
. pecially rigid ones. If you have no
the courage to wear boomers or di
vided skirts, make your skirt above tn
top Of the boots and sew into the bot
tom of it little weights to prevent /
blowing about you.