The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-05-18
CYCLISTS ENJOY A new FAD
Fancy Dress Bicycle Ride Indoors Tx
icg Place Of Fancy Dress Ball.
OLD TIME DANCES ON The WHEEL
I,s the Fashion Now to scorch tho Lam
eers-BaIsnce Partners, Wheelmen, and
steer with Your Feet-some Ex-
perts Eyen Try schottische.


fancy dress bicycle party.
Not on the bouieyards or to some charm
ing suburb but indoors. preferably in a
bicycle academy. In fact. the fancy dress
has found rival IL used 10 be the way
that what were known as trick riders"
were skillful with their wheels, but now
adays two-thirds Of those who enjoy BIZ
cycle riding are sufficiently expert to
make their wheels do almost everything
but talk. The bicycle rdo mentioned
is no theory, but an established fact. Not
week passes but what an event " the
sort Is greatly enjoyed.
The persons who take lart I'm these
affairs do not, strange as 10 may seem.
attire themselves i'm bicycle costumes TO
be sure their dresses and suits are not
equal to those which were on view at the
Bradley Martin ball. but they are often
very unique and always interesting n
seems very strange To- think OF Mary
Queen Of Scots riding bike. or Of Charles
III. begging for her hand In the next biz
cycle reel. while oliver Cromwell pedals
of brOsen-heurtcd because some one has
gained precedent.
Yet tins b. exactly what happens. Then
Napoleon Bonaparte and Britannia ride
away I'm a circle around the room. the
fastest Of friends. Louise OF Prussia
with the Car Alexander love 90 scOrch
through the mazes OF the lanciers. but
perhaps this latter isn't 80 historically
incorrect.
on such occasions the ladies attending
must either be in full evening dress or
else SO eowned a. 10 represent some char
acter. let 10 be burlosque or historical.
The same rule applies 10 the gentlemen.
and the dress suit or the costume OF
some dead but not forgotten celebrity
must be- the order OF the evening FOR the
stcrncr sex.
There is not even an exception 10 prove
the rules. 10 Is Ike tho French bail
over which New York raves. An the adj
mission cards ia the world 10 this are I'M
avauing unless the holder thereof is In
evening dress.
The academy. or whatever place may
Do selected for the scene Of the ride. is
always deliberately decorated Just now
patriotism is rampant. ana the national
c0i0rs hnd exceeding favor. Sun. even
the red white and blue Is q, casiOnally
bnnlshed and in us place N ny appoar
various colors that emphasize the taste.
placed ln charge OF the arrangements.
College colors have become entangied In
this decoration. and sometimes the result
IS exceedingly unique
For instance. al recent entertainment.
the orange and black OF Princeton. the
blue OF Yale the good old Harvard crim-
son. and the cOiOrs of two other very
well known colleges were all masscd.
The effect was simply startling. har-
monv was cast % the winds and Tho
desire 20 be entirely out OF the ordinary
was fulfilled in great degree.
SIN another decorative lad ror thCse
occasions is 90 have the costumes OF use
ladies' and gentlemen attending fo all
correspond ui lcnst in SLIGHT measure. I'm
color to the decorations az the walls of
the gathering place. 40 such times CO.'S
these. 10 really seems 1s if the millennium
in harmony had arrived
To be sure the nop and tho lamb arc
not bon evidence but the shades that the
various people consider OBJ lo thoroughly
Boo harmony with the decorations regard
Ing which they have been notified. are
certainly fully as homogeneous as would
Do The king ~ beasts aud the creature OF
simplicity IN close communion
10 is really charming sight to witness
the fulnllmort ~ lhe programme ln one
of Those rides Take FOR instance fhe lan-
Citrs which every one dances Not plr-
rculrN intricate the riders manage to
go through in surprising degree the mu-
rocuVrcs which we aro accustomed t0
perform on foot
All ihls too. with % grace that charms
Then there is the Virginia reel What
Ccunirv-hrcd man or woman is there who
does not look back to thr days whom he
nr She hluehingly pat their best foot
foremost and cirCled about with the ad
0i Che pere~n opposite thrmf
Sow 900 this b. done 600 ihe wheel re.
ally. 90 comes neHrer heirr Virginia
reel than DO ever dd. or perhaps wo had
better omit the virginia
Tho ho'der 0f fhe riders ocrarionnf,
attempts sch0Dsche 10 seems aimcn
incredible 90 think " doing ID schoftecho
on the wheel and ycf 10 not only can hc
hnf BIAS been accomplished. on course
i'a o'd 'he'I f0e Hn1 away we ro" #.
hardly carried out. but the idea OF fhe
dance is maintained with excellence.
lNr greatest rNorIfcs of 900. though
ar" what used t0 Boz called contra
dances Some people called them
country dances and others square
dances. hut tho real meaning on them Ie
plain Guadrillcs ana these are dear fo
lh' heart M those who participate Boo tho
fancy dress bicycle rides. There is
small difficulty in COINS tHroush tle roa-
tlnc
ON" can balance partners and swIre his
partner 90 Tor thar matter provided
hnfh riders N' sufficiently eVnert to turn
their wheels On very small door snqcn