Would this be the one?
From
http://www.uq.oz.au/
The Scorcher and the Howling Swell by A. B. "Banjo" Paterson
The Scorcher and the Howling Swell were riding through the land; They wept like anything to see the hills on every hand; "If these were only levelled down," they said, "it would be grand."
"If every bloke that rides a bike put in a half-a-crown, Do you suppose," the Scorcher said, "that that would cut them down?" "I doubt it," said the Howling Swell, and frowned a doleful frown.
"Oh, ladies, come and ride with us," the Scorcher did entreat, "A little ride across the park and down the smoothest street, And you will have a chance to show your very dainty feet."
The Scorcher rode up all the hills, as if the same were flat; "It's very rude," the ladies said, "to ride as fast as that; For all of us are out of breath - and some of us are fat."
"Cheer up, cheer up, my ladies gay," the Howling Swell replied; "Behold a tea-shop by the way, with Globe Brand Tea inside; And all who drink the Globe Brand Tea up any hill can ride."
And every lady in the band revived on Globe Brand Tea, That Atcherley and Dawson sell in George Street, near the Quay, And Howling Swells and Scorchers both proclaim its purity.
The Antipodean, No.3, 1897
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Note: This poem appeared as an advertising broadsheet, which was tipped into the magazine opposite page 96.
--
Steven L. Sheffield stevens at veloworks dot com veloworks at earthlink dot net aitch tee tea pea colon slash slash double-you double-you double-you dot veloworks dot com slash
> From: "Russ Fitzgerald" <rfitzger@emeraldis.com>
> Reply-To: "Russ Fitzgerald" <rfitzger@emeraldis.com>
> Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2001 21:52:24 -0500
> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Subject: [CR]Social History of the Bicycle
>
> Brian notes -
>
>> I saw the book "A Social History of the Bike" in a book store last week.
>> They wanted $35 is it worth it? It looked interesting but I only a few
>> seconds to glance at it.
>
> Bad me would suggest you ask your local library if they can get you a copy
> on interlibrary loan. I think it's a neat book - but it's not as in-depth
> as I would like. All the same, it even includes the complete poem, "The
> Scorcher," which I really should memorize to recite on club rides.
>
> The book deals with a number of things involving the first bike boom,
> including the bicycle's role in helping liberate women, cycling fashion for
> both sexes, and the general social reaction to cycling in general. Neat
> snippets from sermons denouncing the "birotate chariot," as well as some
> amusing stories regarding early attempts to regulate cyclists. I
> particularly liked the one involving the municipality that required cyclists
> to operate a bell or other noisemaking device continuously while riding.
> The cyclists of the area responded by staging a night ride, complying with
> the law by blowing bugles and trumpets, shaking tambourines and whacking on
> pots and pans while riding.
>
> Critical Mass types got nothin' on those staid Victorians for making a
> statement ...
>
> Russ Fitzgerald
> Greenwood SC
> rfitzger@emeraldis.com