The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-22


beaten tourist track and to strike out
Tor ourselves our own route and our
duration of stay at each place visited.
/ was aware that the use of the bicycle
was spreading but slowly over the con-
tinent. and, whilst had strong and
constant desire to continue the wear
ing of my adCred boomers, hesitated
at the consideration of whether it
would not be possible that their ap-
pearance might subject us to pointed
remarks, probable insult and possible
injury. In the end | decided to take
supply Of both skirts and boomers.
to make the attempt to educate con-
t1nental nations up to my costume,
and, if 1t proved to be impossible, to
reluctantly return to the despised
skirts
But it turned out that my fears were
8roundless; that in the principal cities of the
continent where boomers had followed In
the wake of bicycles they had been freely
and fearlessly adopted and that in the re-
moter towns and villages whore mine had
honor and pleasure of being pioneers the
mere fact Of their containing a woman was
sufficient to insure both respect and freedom
from noticeable or apparent remark. In pri
vate houses, in hotels, in theaters cafes, and
music halls in small towns and remote vii
lagos, In lonely, sparsely populated valleys
and on the seldom visited mountains. in
trains. trans, omnibuses and steamboats,,
in the best quarters of the towns and in the
very worst which we visited in a spirit of
adventure, l had not for eleven months heard
remark or seen gesture relating to my
boomers, which | wore every day until /
came to New York
And it was left for New York the first and
proudest city in what Americans who visit
England tell us is the most free and indie
pendent land in existence, to tell me that my
boomers not permitted in the dining
rooms of the hotels, and to point the finger
Of insult and raise the vulgar shout of de-
risiOn in its tram cars and streets.
| DO1Qt n
dignation may run away with my pen.
l want to convince American women that
if only for walking alone. apart from any
consideration of riding a bicycle, it will am
ply repay them in comfort and economy to
wear boomers. The enjoyment Of a long,
bracing walk. which reasonably INDUCED in,
acts as the finest tonic to the system it is
possible to have. is to very large extent
denied to a woman, because of the firing con-
fining influence Of the ever-in-the-way skirts
and the aching Of the limbs after few miles
have been walked, caused by those skirts
sagging against the legs. In this connection
another point may be mentioned, and that
is, while the dead weight OF skirt worn is
absolutely and entirely borne by the waist
band this band in bloomers is helped and
supported by the elastic bands which clasp
the boomers below the knees.
In bad or rainy weather boomers are simp-
ly a Godsend, and a woman wearing them
may brave bad, wet and dirty streets-and if
the New York streets afford any criterion
American streets take the palm for dirt
wet. draggled, soiled, rain-heavy skirts may
sigh for but Will never attain unless she
have the courage Of her convictions.
THOSE HoRRID SKIRTS.
Another argument against skirts is the fact
that they are continually gathering up all
streets. Even when they are held up in
walking this precaution is Of use in ascending
the stairs Of public offices and places Of
amusement. An additional argument is af-
in nv habit which
American men have of using tobacco in
most Objectionable form, habit which
need not more pointedly particularize. The
question OF dancing appeals, l am aware, TO
only a limited section, and I may say does
not interest me. but I was assured by several
ladies in Paris who had attended balls given
were the costume for the ladies present that
the exercise of the light fantastic was
much enhanced in its enjoyment by the
wearing Of the boomers, and that not only
clumsy partners or unthinking gentlemen
done away with, but the ease in turning and
absence of fatigue from the weight of the
skirts in waltzing were most noticeable.
Again, what woman is there who does not
enjoy, with, of course, a cavalier after her
own heart-please note that no pun is in
tended-a ramble through a tangled wood, a
climb to the summit of picturesque mount
ain or hill, an ascent through Alpine
SHOWS? The actual bliss Of all these is de-
MED to woman wearing skirts In all these
cases cited the brambles entangle the skirts,
the underbrush impedes progress and the
snow makes the edges of the skirts assume
the consistency of dishcloths.
1 pride myself that, although not strong
bodily and easily attacked by fatigue
have been able with ease to spend hours in
the woods in England which would have been
hours of idget and anxiety if l had worn
skirts, and, moreover, to ascend mountains
in Switzerland and the French Alps without
discomfort which the guides would say to
other English or American ladies dressed
anC IY0n ErJOr ~ -
gentlemen, but not advisable for ladies to
undertake.
And just here may, I put in a word to my
married sisters in America? After assuring
all the good American husbands (some Of
whom may be styled by their wives as mine
is by me, the best in the world. that I mean
no personal reflection. may l say that, espe-
c1ally in consideration Of the few preceding
sentences, the adoption Of boomers opeSs out
to married woman the possibility-and it
is her place to make 1t a certainty-of being
the companion and constant fellow tourist of
her husband in whatever trips holiday ex-
petitions he may participate in?
And now for the objections which have
been raised to women wearing boomers. We
are told that they are immodest. that they
mark out woman as being of masculine
and forward tendencies, that they imply a
restless inclination toward morbid and i'm
proper wish to startle steady going people,
and that they are only worn by those who
feei1ng proud in posing as female Amazons,
take delight in setting at nought all the
DoundS OF order and decorum.
MODEST BOOMERS.
Several Of these arguments were used
against me by girl of about my own age,
and, in addition she informed me in a tete-
a-tete discussion Of the matter, that her
principal objection to the costume was that
1t revealed the shape OF ones legs below the
knee. Yet during the same week l met
the same girl at ball when she was I'M
blushfngly wearing a ball costume which
while 1t was unnecessarily and extensively
protective below the knee was so decolIete
above the waist that little was left to i'm
agination.
And just as in our bathrooms little or no
excuse can be offered for the low cut bodices
which prevail, so in our churches and chap
els on Sabbath day there is surely not the
necessity for the elaborate display of exDen-
sive dressmaking and startling millinery
which is reserved by it's wearers for exhi-
bition in the house of God
And now as to the immodesty OF the gar
ments. My bloomers-the same as are worn
in England France and Russia--are widely
dlnerent in construction to the tight knick-
efa;e which some female professional
olcyclfsts have appeared in. They are wide
and full above the knee and certainly can
not be accused of lacking modesty. Below
the knee | wear buttoned CATERS of thick
melton cloth, usually matching the boomers
in color They extend over the boots and
have strap under the instep With respect
to the insinuation that this wearing of
boomers indicates desire to appropriate
VI Ih0 OppOSlIS sex, L would
ask why this objection has not been advanced
with equal force against women wearing
standup collars, open waistcoats, long New
market overcoats, hard round felt hats and
square-toed walking boots.
10 sum up, II appears to me that IL the
women Of America will assert the independ-
ence of which their country Is supposed to
be SO proud. Will be brave enough to say
that they will wear the costume which COM
bines comfort with utility, and will be willing
to be deaf to the hysterical rawlings of n few
old maids and Anticipated faddists, who would
crush any new movement or innovation simply