The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-06-22
Lawrence Americana
Bertha Won HiIIern,
Her Great Walk in Lawrence.

One of the most refined and cnlt.red
audiences of the season was in attendance at
the city hall on Saturday evening". to witness
the effort of Miss Bertha Won Hillern to walk
twenty-five miles without single rest within
the space of six hours. During the afternoon
large numbers availed themselves of the priv
liege OF a free inspection of the track, and at
nVe 0 CLOCK, the hour of starting, about one
hundred people were present. Nearly one
thousand people, most of whom were ladies.
visited the hall during the evening, mapy who
entered while the first few miles were being
tramped being enticed to remain until the 25th
mile s was achieved. A large number gathered
on the common, where until dark, the little
walkist might be seen as she fitted BY the open
windows; at the door of the hall, on Appleton
street. crowd of men throngsd to read the
bulletins of Miss Bertha's progress from time
to time.
Bertha appeared upon the hall floor a few
minutes before five o'clock, apparently in fine
condition for the task before her. She was
dressed in neatly fitting linen suit, with skirt
reaching to the knee, and trimmed with white
embroidery; 1aunty hat, rested gracefully
upon her hand and she carried in her white
KID gioved hands riding whip. Bertha has
no doll face beauty, yet her modest appearance,
graceful carriage, easy gait, and determined
LOOK, render her peculiarly captivating. and
many who entered the hall with intent to
remain but few moments, were inticed by
Bertha's appearance to remain for hours. In
walking, little Germany" is all business"
seldom looking to right or left and noticing
nothing, save with graceful smile the
frequent applause bestowed upon her.
Mr.. William 7. Kimball gave the starting
Woro at just nVe O'Clock, and throughout the
evening he scored each lap of the track and
recorded me miles as successfully made. He
was attended by members of the press. An
orchestra of six pieces from Boston occupied
the rostrum, and from time to time enliyened
the footsteps of Bertha, and RECALLED the audi
ence with good music 1t required % laps of
the track to make one mile, and as the track
was laid as near the walls as possible the
turns at the corners were quite short and in
convenient to the walkist The first mile was
tramped in IL minutes and 81 seconds aud a
glance at the record Of miles appended was
about the same as during the first mile. save in
the twenty-thrd and twenty-fourth miles, when
her gait was slower with the purpose of a
squirt in the last mile. From the 2Oth mile
there was almost continuous applause, which
increased during the 2ith mile, and when Ber-
TIA began her 25th and last mile the excite
ment was intense The entire audience, iD the
balconies and upon the floor, rose to its feet
the air was filled with handkerchief the ap-
pla9se almost deafening, and everyone seemed
wild In admiration OF the plucky German lady.
AS she entered the mile the band struck up an
enllvening selection, and Mr.. Thomas Joined
Bertha, remaining by her side until the COM
pletlon of the mile and two extra laps had been
made, when Bertha was taken up and carried
to her retiring room. AS each lap was COM
pleted it was marked upon black board, and
when the 25th tour of the track was completed
1t was found that the last mile had been
walked quicker than any preceding it,-time,
II min., A sec.-and that Bertha had COM
pleted her task, without once stopping, inside
lhe time specified, having II minutes and IS
seconds to spare. DuriRg the latter portion of
her tramp she refreshed herself with small
quantities OF beef tea, taken while pursuing her
walk, and she was often accompanied for few
laps of the track, by her agent Mr. Thomas.
After she had returned to her room she was
waited upon by large number of ladies and
gentlemen and was made the recipient Of sew
eral handsome bouquets. 9a-f