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Updated: June 17, 2025
From 11 to 12, musical mass; several pieces to be performed by the band of the 19th Regiment. At 12-1/2, meeting of the Orphéonists and other musical societies. 1 P.M., ordering and march of a procession, and review of Sappers and Miners. 2 P.M., ascension of grotesque balloons. 2-1/2 P.M., race of velocipedes. 3-1/2 P.M., climbing poles and races in sacks.
It is a naively drawn lithograph representing a trial of velocipedes in the Luxembourg Garden, at Paris, in 1818. It will be seen that in 1818 velocipedes were made of wood and were provided with two wheels one in front, and the other behind. The propelling was done by alternately placing the feet on the ground. The apparatus is of simple construction.
Around them, in a mighty, pervasive monotone, was the roar of city traffic, broken by the nearer sounds of the cries of children playing in the sand piles, the bark of motor horns, the screech of small boys' velocipedes on the paths of the park; while they themselves were silent, except for the rhythmic tramp of the military shoes of identical pattern, as was every article of their clothing and equipment from head to foot, whose character had been the subject of the weightiest deliberation of the staff.
With one party, whatever is, is right: with their antagonists, whatever is, is wrong. These swallow every antiquated absurdity: those catch at every new, unfledged project and are alike enchanted with the velocipedes or the French Revolution.
The procession moved on in the following order: a giant carrying twenty-seven quart beer mugs; a woman’s orchestra consisting exclusively of old women; a wagon from one of the peasant districts bearing the inscription, “Adorers of Taxes”; a smoking club with the Swedish match merchant; a wagon with a replica of the Spittler Gate made of beer kegs; the so-called guard against sparks; a nurse with a grown child in diapers and Hussar boots; the seven Swabians on velocipedes; a cabriolet with a gaily dressed English family; a conveyance carrying authors.
It reminded one of the way men propelled the old-fashioned velocipedes years before. A cloud of dust rose behind the odd outfit as the party drew out on the plains. Their ponies were started at a gallop, which was necessary to enable them to keep up with the pace that Juan had set. "Here! Here!" shouted the Professor. Juan never looked back. "We're leaving the pack train. Slow down!"
They actually looked at each other and winked; but pa motioned to the velocipedes, and looked fierce, and when they hesitated about getting on, pa said: "You won't, won't you," and he took a club filled with lead and started for the biggest tiger.
Here in the sitting-room arose dim shapes which probably were its accustomed furniture, but which to our excited fancy might be sleds and velocipedes. We groped for a match. There was a splutter that showed red in the hollow of my brother's hand. After the first glad shock, it was our habit to rummage in the general midden outside our stockings.
Let us have confidence in the decrees of heaven and the justice of our cause. God is in the midst of it and it shall not be shaken. In medio ejus non commovebitur." A gigantic negro, resplendent in new gold lace, interrupted them to announce that the velocipedes were ready for the daily lesson on the terrace of the Tuileries.
There are water velocipedes, canoes for ladies, and floats for the unskilful; fresh water for the head before bathing, and tubs of hot water afterwards for the feet, on the sands; an appreciating and admiring audience on the shore; a lounge across the sands and through the 'Établissement, in costumes more scanty than those of Neapolitan fish girls!
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