The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-07-29
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CANTON. PENNSYLVANIA,

CANTON, PENNSYLVANIA,
4 July the ,Twenty-third.
The Ladye and brought our beloved bicy-
cles with us to Canton. We knew that the
country is mostly uphill and down again, and
that there would be more or less hard riding,
but we never counted On quite such yariegated
trips as we really have. In the first place, we con-
sidered oursel YES pretty good fders-no tricks
nor century, uns, but good for ordinary needs;
able to pass people or vehicles on tho same road
with ourselves; to dismount Unexpectedly aud
land OH our feet, without scratching the enamel
off our beloved bicycles, nor twisting our
ankles; to mount without help, even of curb
stone; to back pedal; to ''ankle" aud to turn
within the narrow confines of q city square.
Generally speaking we thought we rode quite
prettily. But up here everything Is different,
and we find ourselves confronted with multi
tude of new obstacles and emergencies, and we
travel almost as far in mounting aud dis
mounting as we dowheciing, only it's adistance
that our cyclometer never registers.
Among the most frequent interruptions to
our riding are cows ruts, musketos, scenery,
flowers, steep up-hils, steep down-hils, stony
down-hiis, very muddy places deep sand, deep
dust, railroad crossings, blackberry vines,
cherry trees, hay wagons and others. Notwith-
standing all these tribulations we enjoy the rid
ing very much, in fact we regard bicycling pri-
marily as a means of getting out into the
country quickly and easily; secondarily, as
sport or exercise. and it does not worry US
much that we are not making much of record
or show of our riding.
We don't know but that the cow is the worst
of all the obstacles uses up so much of the
road If she be frisky she stands across the
road and kicks up her heels; if the small boy
driving her be going toward his supper, he
throws stones at her to hurry the procession,
and she thunders along all over the road, and
we climb to the fence-top, dragging our beloved
bicycles after US; if the COW and the boy are
both lazy, she zig Gags along, using up every
bit OF room, and we dare not rush by her heels
or head for fear that she will be startled into
kicking or hooking Occasionally the small
boys deriie us and say "They amt no use in
being afraid of cows" but usually they respect
our bicycles. Everybody testifes that the COW
is harmless beast, but she at least is very az
gravating, and it's my opinion that she's
dangerous. The Ladye says mo" very
firmly, but she always joins me and the beloved
bicycle on the fence.
Now, we have been accustomed to short skirts
on ourselves and on our fellow. women for SO
long that we Trad quite forgotten that it has
not always been SO. that there might be people
who yet believe that it is not secfnly Tor a
young lady to don skirts that reach half way
between the kiie ice and ankle. We were amazed
to find the girls here riding in long. flowing
Skirts. And the further wonder is that they
do it with apparent safety. Whenever have
tried to ride in long skirts they have caught in
tile pedals and chain and have become badly
soled and torn, and have had to be extremely
careful to avoid being thrown. but here the
girls seem to have no difficulty. But our short
Skirts are vindicated in at least one way-they
| are cleaner The long skirts sweep up and
send flying clouds Of dust. So feiievfng that
our short skirts clean. safe ard comfortable
} We ride serenely conscious of our wisdom.
~
We wear our bicycle suits whenever we 60
for long walks aud find much comfort in them.
We can now go up and down the mountain
side, through briers, over stones and creeks,
fences and logs, and through all the wood tan
giles in fine style, and never was finer costume
devised for botanizing expeditions. We do
/ have the grace to put on our long petticoats
, and all our frills and ribbons when we dress
for dinner. Sometimes in the evening we tax g
little walks toward the west to watch the sun
set clouds.
, The other night as we were walking forth
and this tale is told to show how much devo-
, ton we give TO our orchid nting-the Ladye
, spied new blossom, over the fence in marshy
pasture; straight she went, organdy frock, lace
a ruffles, daisied hat and all. under the bars and
across to the marsh. She walked daintily along
. its edge to keep her skirts Clean but she never
lost sight of the flower for moment. At last
we reached it but it was not an orchid. We
| hardly hoped that it was. We knew that we had
= to be patient jim orchi hunting az in all else
80 we rejoiced In the first blossom of the season
!. of the arrow- leaf piantain. 1t is plant worth
: knowing. The leaves are long, slim, sharply
pointed, and shaped Hike arrowhead. The
|. fiower-stalks bear two. three, or four three.
: petaied. yelow-centereli, shining white bios
SONS that sit close TO the stalk and have little
light motion it.
How we did chuckle and gasp put and con.
e rratulate each other when we did find our frs,
/ orchid. We had hunted unsucccssfully for
:. fortnight, every once in while fortifying our
+ selves by counting the number that the botany
! ascribes 10 the Allegheny regions in July
r And August We found one OF the smallest
Of them all-the spiraathes graciHs-at thu
edge of sunny meadow where it joined
the woodland. The iower-stalks were only I.
/ foot or SO high there were no leaves, except
Q for one tiny scale ike leaf ut the roots. The
IS small, white flowers are almost feathery, 81
:. fine and soft and they Irvine about the stalk!
= in a pretty fashion that has given a groap o.
e orchids the name. Ladies' tresses" the arrange
Is iiient sDinew hat resembling strand III Braided
E. hair. There is another orchid, better known
!, under the name Ladies tresscs" Spirdnthe
l. cc,aued, that blossoms in the Fall and is mncl
o Shower; the flowers are white, bnt are large
t and more distinct There are, indeed, four o
II FIVE varieties Showing slight differences ii
e size, time OF BLOSSOM, Leaves and roots, but nj
g have the blossoms twisted around the stalk
10 Tho little braid Of snowy flowers rewarded u
J. for every effort and every disappointment
Is We ssetchcd it Immediately. Ny sketch wa
n not brilliant success, the flowers are so small
10 and so oddly shaped that it was difficult to dc
D. to even suggest, bnt the Ladye has clcve
g study Of it. Now we are limiting for our Second
ELSIE PoMERoY MCELRoY.