Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-05-12

my. Tho dogs selected are Great Danes,
which, from their weight and strength,
are specially fitted for the service. But tho
German officers, while actively pushing
the drilling Of this novel corps, arc under
stood to dread the employment by the enc
my OF dogs in n slmilar capacity, fearing
that in this case the animals might fight
among themselves, and, losing their senso
of distinction between friends and foes, be
as dangerous to tho one as to tho other.
The French military authorities have be-
come alive to tho Importance of such an
issue and arc now urging tho training OF
dogs ON their own account as the readiest
way of oircuinventing the intentions Of
their neighbora en- tho other eide OF tho
Rhine.
Captain Sigshees bicycle WINS taknn
from the Maine wreckage, after having
been in the mud OF Havana hRrhor for five
days, and those who road this fact seemed
to find some difficulty In imagining
sailor on n bicycle Yet not only arc the
officers ofssne United States navy addicted
to tho bike habit, but the bluejackots
themselves arc enthusiastio cyclists. On
ncoount of tho cramped living and stow
ago quarters of the men forward on man
of-war tho sailors in our navy are not
now permitted to tBko bikes aboard ship,
but it is likely that before very long they
will DO allowed to stow their bikes in un-
used storerooms. Tho men forward have
been agitating this for some F.me. ~
least half OF the officers, however, arc tho
owners of bicycles which they tako along
with them on their cruises.
The influence Of bicycling Is manifest in
social customs. Cycle dinners and cycle
dances are established institutions among
tho athletic set, and facetous writer
claims to have discovered cycle hind
shake. This sort of salutation, according
to tho writer referred to, sis thH natural
offspring Of n rotary mind busted IL hours
In tho day with It's own and other peoples
wheels II men and women ride wheels
and tnlk little else but wheels, 1t is only
natural that they should soon begin TO
think wheels, and thinking wheels makes
| the thinker look ut life as a thing circular
| speedy and puncttirahle. Tho bicycle face,
| the high and low gear laugh, the punoture
proof self assurance and the chainless con-
vocational ability aro part and parcel OF
the bicycle ora. And now tho bicycle
| handshako adds tho final touch OF refine
ment. To ride on the saddle of conven.
tionalty you must grasp tho right grip OF
friend when you meet him or her, ole.
| vato your diRital handle hnr above your
chin and push oil into space with your
hand and the hnnd of your friend in tan
dem, describing 100 inch sprooket wheel
in tho air, while you indulge In verbal
scorching about tho weather-and wheels,
In other words, you grasp tho hand of
your friend and attempt to wrest bis arm
| out of its socket by making n human
windmill of him. as shown by the dotted
lines in the pi6turc. If you don't indulge
in the bicycle handshake-well, you're
not a wheelman, and that means social
and business ostracisin.
Some of the New York newspapers, par
ticularly Tho Sun, are discussing tho me-
uossity Of Same sort of registry books at
hotels and other stopping places frequent
cd by wheelmen. There is not day that
there are not hundreds Of riders abroad
looking for friends, and they are at n loss
to know how far ahead or behind them
they are, Even when not positive about
certain acquaintances of theirs being out,
riders would like to know who Is abroad
because OF there being good chance that
they would know some ono This could
all be adjusted by the keeping of registers
at hotels and other points for the use Of
cyclists Ono place where ridors wait ev-
cry day for others and wonder whether the
ones they seek have gone on or have NOT
vet arrived Is the rest outside of Prospect
park at tho head of tho cycle path. Cyclcra
can DO seen waiting there for US long as
half an hour and leaving reluctantly with
the fear that the friend they sock will
come along. They look mt tho granite
posts and at tho dark painted cycle racks
and wish there was some way to leave a
message telling their friends that they
havo boon there and loft at such and sucl
| q time to 20 In certain direstiou. Soms