The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-13
BICYCLING IN PARIS.
Costumes Of the Girls Of Three Va
tfonA Contracted.

Among TIE women cyclists there are
three distinct styles In sress-the French.
tEe English and The American, writes Nina
ESterhrook in tire Chicago TINES Herald
The French women wear boomers Not
Light knickerboekers after the fashion o.
few OF our American listers a year or
50 back. But their boomers ara cut very
fun At the knee. growing more seans
toward the waist. This gives them the
look. when "a girl Is standing or walking.
almost OF skirt. When these are per-
fectly made. and more so when worn By
petite little person. they are very 5aanty.
But, alas. they are too often home.
made" and all the fgures. even OF French
women, are not perfect. so that the
general average OF bicycle suits worn by
the best dressed women on earth" are
what we would call "frfyhts"
To add 10 the general uns.ghtuness.
there is rage just now for a material os
a biack-and white check One meets these
haxgy trousered damseIs in their black
and white check with white double
breasted jackets. cut s;raig1. at the back
and their sailor hats tilted over their
noses. on every highway and in the by
ways
sat with young French girl on a
hench under a broad-ieaved chestnut
tree yesterday In the Bots de Boulogue
We watched the cyclists speeding by She
would say: Those are English; those
others are French; those two are Ameri-
cans" ''But how can you teii?" I asked
1T IL easy enough" she said. Watch
and You VIII see for yourself There
come two long. Topping dresses. Look
tired they look. They are English"
How the English Girl Rides.
Sure enough. as they came near US there
was no mistaking the broad accent Look
how low they have their saddles, and
how far back from the pedals they Sit
continued my friend '"TTe English wo-
men all DO that They ride bicycle as
IL they ware ashamed OF II and had only
half got their own consent 10 IL They
wear their long street dresses the regular
width. and then they cucumber their ma
chimes with guards enough to sink a boat
IN order TO keep their dresses out of their
animals IL wcait, Kill them they make
such hard work OF IT," she declared.
Here come two Americans" she con-
tinaed. See how straight they sit over
the pedals and how high their saddles ard
handia bars are. They ride like the wind
and age so independent. Look at their
short neat skirts and tailor Jackets Look
at their fresh shirt waists and bright ties.
But look at the heavy leather ieggings
thing the Americans do. ! think" con-
cluded my bright little French girl friend
She had struck. In fact. the weak spot
In the get-up Of the American bicycle wo-
man. had heard the subject argued
and discussed over more than one Anaerl-
can tea table All agreed that leg1iugs
were hot and uncomfortable. But who
would be the first 20 discard them. was
a question still unsettled when left
~Fs~4
wear ieggings. but they very commonly
wear some Kind og fancy colorca stockings
with their tow shoes
4 French woman can do this however,
ard not be as conspicuous as would m
American for reasons anatomical. The
American woman buying her hose in Paris
learns 20 lock out for extra elastic ones
ar else has the embarrassment OF calling
for out-sIzes.
American Biey ~te- az n Premium.
American h'cyclss are at a premium
here, especially those for women. They
are lighter and moro elegantly put up.
The wooden rim creates no end OF curl
ostty. The French end English wheels
both have iron rims. the reason given be-
ing that wooden rims would not stand TIRE
tremendous amount of rainy weather
which lasts for months together
Paris has not the happy facilities for
cycling which chicago possesses Tho "a
accustomed "a miles and uaies OF boule-
wards with their smooth pavement nliss
them in the narrow. crowded streets OF
Paris. Those streets which have the as
phalt pavements are so crowded 20
make riding 4 menace. The Bo,s ia
Eoaloznc Is the only large park which
Paris possesses And riding there Is IDEAL
more ideal than anything we have sn
America. prossdsd one goes out carly
enough sn the morning before the f'4gsi-
ans set out fo~ their airing before their
deyeuaeT which comes usually between l.
aud ! O'Clock.
Certain narrow paths formerly used for
pedestrians have haen given ovsr 10 tho
cyclists. THE trees and she grass comes
~ close 20 the path on either side. Tire
trunks of the trees are covered w5sh
SOFT green moss owing - the yearly rein-
fall. And the trees stand Ciose. with
their broad leaves shutting out everything
ana everybody from view. THE paths
wsnt in end out sometimes taroUeh
dense piue forest. wnera one Is told hair