The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-26

sary statement, by the way, when it is
remembered that she is an American
by birth. The following account was
| written by an admirer who saw her
| clever trick riding in Europe:
| The chief characteristic of Miss
wheeler appears to be her remarkable
ub1qu1ty. Eighteen months or more
| ago a friend of mine passing through
ROubaix turned in at the Salon du .Cy-
J Gle. and was so impressed by her per-
formance and by the fact that the clev-
er1cyclist was smothered with bouquets
of remarkable artificial flowers and the
French colors. that when he came home
he insisted upon telling me all about
it. Later on,.I myself dropped across
MISS Wheeler in Paris, I believe at
Folies Bergere; whilst during the ex-
element of the jubilee I was greatly
scothed by seeing her perform at the
Empire. Leicester square. She was be-
coming quite like an old friend, and
when in Dublin, during the Horse
Show week. Isaw her name writ large
en- Hengler's posters. lost no time in
going to the circus and again watch
ing her perform some wonderful tricks
on the wheel. Then, on Good Friday
last. 1 INDUCED in the mild excitement
OF a cycling meet at Wood Green, and
behold again Miss Wheeler. but both
her dress and performance had chang
&c. The girl whom I first saw as a
tough lady of the first water had be-
come very handsome young woman.
in beautifully fitting and artisticalIy
designed rational costume
SOME OF HER TRICKS.
But her performance, was even morn
enjoyable than ever. First, the lady
showed how gracefully a lady can look
when riding a cycle. and then she show
cd yIof ~
after years of unremftting practice.
First, riding in the ordinary fashion on
the saddle, the front wheel was twisted
round and round severa1 times them
standing on the step and working the
pedals with one hand and coasting
round the stage standing erect with
one foot on the saddle and the other on
the handle bar. Back into the saddle.
a few dexterCus moves, and behold. she
is riding backwards with as much ease
as the ordinary cyclist does in the
and the lady is over the handle bars,
both feet on the pedais, and riding
round at an excellent pace A leap
back. careful balance, and She "pops''
through the diamond frame. passing
from one side Of the machine to the
otner, and amidst applause continues
her ride,
Again the scene changes. She comes
on riding combination OF old iron and
bits Of string. IF any of you have
tried to ride a bicycle you will appre-
c1ate the newcomers seeming difficult
ties. For the next few minutes the
stage is a confused tumble of arms
and less"<and bucking bicycle. The
falls are wonderful and varied, and so
remarkable that bystander marvel
ing thereat remarked: How does she
manage to keep alive?" In a surpris-
ingiy short space of time, however, the
lady masters the difficulty Of mount
ing. and literally hurls herself into the
saddle to go wobbling round the stage
IN most alarming fashion. Her
humor is very quaint and enforced, but
all this is but a prelude to an excep-
tionally clever trick show First she
coasts and rides in all manner of posi-
tons. It would indeed be difficult to
think of position in which she does
not ride, for in one trick she is almost
perpendicular and does an kinds of
strange and wonderful feats. IT Is quito
revelation in bicycle riding, but more
tricks follow until one is quite bewild-
cred.
AGILITY AND DEXTERITY.
have tried to describe the really won
derful show given by Miss Wheeler.
but most of the tricks are SO intricate
that only pictures give an idea of what
they are like. The neatness and pre-
cision of Miss Wheeler. to say nothing
of her agility and dexterity, are sim
ply extraordinary. and. as was Just
then most picturesque nocturne in
black. blue and yellow. the result of
having quarreled with brewers dray
while riding bicycle along Gray's
inn road, I resolved to find out how
she managed. So went to her Dress
ing room. but. like most clever people,
Miss Wheeler is modest, and her reply
to my question as to how she became
so expert. was "hard work and inces+
SAINT practice" Like a famous Jug
gler who juggled before boing to bed,
when he rose for the day. before and
after every meal. and at every other