The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-07-26
ENGLISH WHEELWoMEN.
The Sports in Which They Take Part ant
the Decorations of Their Wheels.

Bicycle parties of one sort or another were
resorts bicycle sports were arranged on an
elaborate scale. Races, trick riding and
polo were the chief features of the pro-
grammes, and the women took part merely
as decorative spectators. In England the
thing was managed differently, and at the
bicycle sports planned and carried out at
the country houses were charming affairs in
which women took active part
One of the most successful of this seas g
bicycle teas was given at country saet
near Henley, England. The guests all ar
rived upon bicycles artistically decorated
with flowers. On the lawn large arches had
been erected and twined with flowers A
company OF young people who had Tehearsed
for the occasion and were dressed in fancy
costumes mounted their wheels and, to the
accompaniment of music, executed intricate
manoeuvres, wheeling IN and out among the
arches and going through graceful dance
figures. There was May pole dance by the
same bicyclists, and, after that, a
Gretna Green race, in which the couple first
covering the course, dismoun;ing, exchane-
ng rings and re urning to the starting point
received rings as sprizes. Dozens of other
tests Of skill followed, among them q polo
game, in which the girls played against the
men and came within an ace of winning
The programme ended with procession of
the bicyclists and the awarding of prizes for
the most beautiful wheel decorations. and
then The guests attacked the refreshments.
which they had fairly earned
In England wheel decoration has become
an art, and an astonishing variety of effects
is possible. 1t is usually advisable to carry
out a design in one oo:or or shades of one
color, the result; of such a scheme being
more strik ing. II one is willing 10 90 to con-
siderable trouble, it il wise to first wind
tae spokes and frame of the wheel with cot
ton stuff of tie colo to be used. OF course
it is a necessity that the flowers should he
fresh: and SO 1t is impossibl e to begin put
ting the flowers upon wheel long before
it is to be used. The background of cotton
may be arranged and smilaX or asparagus
fern added; but the flowers must he kent in
water until the last moment, althoueb they
should be wired ready for hasty use. Great
care Should De taken III the choice of flowers
for in the long run lasting quail ties rather
than beauty are what wins. The WAYS of
trimming Wheei are legion. Some riders
content themselves with covering the Frame
workwith flowers and ia tening great sbeavas
of blossoms to the handle bars, A wire arch
over the saddle trimmed with flowers and
hutter ng ribbons is pretty. An old umpren
stripped of its covering and recovered With
ribbon AMI flowers may be set III a socket
at the back of the saddle SO that it Will
cover the rider; and one of the most charm
ing fanc!es is to fasten a pole with a cross
bar n front of flow rtrin med bicycle
The pole and bar must be twined with
flowers an d two retty flower crowned and
aarlandei children are harnessed to the
pole and driven by reins of ribbon or flo W.
org This last device calls for some skill on
the part of the rider, who must be able to
wheel very slowly and steadily, in order not
TO hurry or push the children.