"Wear Bloomers like mine and see if your log book does not record a proposal" said the Naughty Girl
From an article in the October 25, 1896 Morning Times about the Boulevard Belle "She Carries a Record of her Daily Bicycle Rides" one learns of the importance of a bicycle log book (and apparently, the right bloomers).
In the log book, cyclists could record crashes on the "Caution" pages, good places to ride under "Pleasant Paths" and draw pictures of the roads under "Supplemental". Ah 19th Century facebook.
But the main purpose seems to be to record flirtations both big and small. "The light that goes out and is made to burn again by a pair of fine eyes, a blonde mustache, a fine heart and a match." [I should have warned you this is NSFW]
One such flirtation that was recorded goes something like this:
Today Rex told me loves me. He mentioned it at the end of the asphalt, where we dismounted for a soda before heading back. He said "You have pushed* your way to my heart. My tires are inflated with love when I see you. With one hand you have steered me on until I see your light ever burning before me."
Damn Rex. That boy's got game. Such smooth words seemed to have worked as she replied
"You have gained complete control of my handlebars. I cannot back pedal against your affections. My cyclometer and yours shall henceforth tick as one."
And there are your wedding vows young lovers. Now if you'll excuse me, I need a cold shower.
*At the time, one was said to "push a bike".
(Interestingly the article says that one young man is what a Frenchman would call a "Smart Alexis." I wonder if that was a derivative of a Smart Alec.
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