The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1878-02-08
Mss BERTHA Won aIllEaN.
A Halt'aour's Chat with the Great Pedes.
trieune,
National Republican.

National Republican.
Miss Bertha Won Hillern, who makes her
bow to Washingtonians tomorrow evening,
at Odd Fellows Hall, has created .fgrore
among the fashionables throughout the
North and West, scarcely equaled by the
most noted prama donnas. Among the
ladies' especially has she been made the he
roine, and everywhere her quiet, unosten-
tatio1s manner and winning ways have
Won her friends whose name is legion. Her
astonishing pedestrian feats have developed
condition of physical endurance that puz-
Zles the scientists and revolutionizes the
theory Of woman's incapacity for muscular
| hardship. At her $50 mile walk at the
| Boston Music hall. that arstocratIc edifice
presented the singular spectacle of ladies
sitting up all night to cheer their little fa-
vorite by their presence. She. petite be-
| ing, weighing scarcely 106 pounds. has time
and again, by her perseverance, wrought
the largest audience up to the most intense
enthusiasm.
Yesterday, believing that brief account
of her former and present life would be in
teresting. reporter of the Republican call
ed upon Miss Won Hilleru, at the Imperial
Hotel. He found himself in the presence
of a dapper little lady, whose physique sug-
gested anything but strong-limbed pedes-
trienne. The reporter asked when she first
began to make speciality Of walking.
"When l was a girl, in Germany" re-
piled Miss Won Hillern, "there was great
deal of interest taken in walking, and 1
used to take pleasure in strolling along the
beautiful road, and in entering the contests
of endurance which were gotten up by
young ladies of my age" i
"When did you first appear in public in
this country9''
"In December, 1876, first appeared. It
was at Boston, when succeeded in walking
$50 miles in six days. A few weeks later,
at the same place, walked ss miles in 26
hours. After this made successful walks
at Providence, Lowell, Lawrence, Portland
and other places"
''How many miles have you walked in
public during the fourteen months since
your debgt?'
Sc Let me see. About 1850 in all"
=" Have you usually been successful"
Yes twice was defeated on account
of the extreme heat"
''What do you think of your chances of
success here ?'' zn
81 never make predictions" was the re-
ply, shut always do the best can. This
hall is the smallest ever walked in, and it
is much more tiresome to make "a circuits
to the mile than 18 or 10, as is usually the
case. have often been annoyed by per-
sons, especially ladies, who wish to walk
with me, but always expressly desire that
they will not do SO, as it drags me more
than it helps. After the Goth mile my bu-
siness manager, Mr. Thomas, walks with me
at intervals. By the way, that reminds me
of an amusing incident. One day last sum
mer, as / was taking my usual practice
walk of 25 miles in the country with Mr..
Thomas, a countryman in his wagon over
took US. MIR. Thomas, who always rides
when be can, asked the man for seat.
Not by long chalk, he replied. "A man
of your legs ough to be able to walk. Let
the young lady ride 1t was with great
difficulty that we made him understand the
situation, and that was walking for busi-
uess.''
Miss Won Hillern,as is Ler custom, before
undertaking such long walk as she will
begin tonight, rested at her rooms oil day
yesterday, omitting her usual exercise, and
will rest and sleep all day to-day, so as to
be perfec ly fresh at the start Odd Eel
lows Hall will be open to-day for persons
who wish to inspect the sawdust track laid
ont by the District Engineer. During the
26 hours the band will not leave the hall
The judges book will be in charge of mem-
bers of .he press. gsa,