Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-04
AN ARTIST IN WALKING.
The Pecmlidr;ties of Bertha Ton lille
~. ro,,, NJ

Washington Cor. Cincinnati Commercially
We saw this little woman finish her walk
of eighty-nin miles in twenty-six hours,
without sleep. She walked the first heat
from 8 o'clock at nightfall till about 5 next
morning, without stopping. Then with few
minutes rest, twice, she continued the walk
and finished the walk nine minutes before
the specified time, 10 o'clock. She is max
ing money, too. There is no doubt of that.
She will not walk for wager or in COM
petition. She receives challenges to walk
matches every week. but will accept none.
She seems to arouse in women a sort of in
fatuation to go on the tramp, wherever she
travels. A club of ladies has already been
started here in Washington for walking ex
petitions. Ladies, wherever Bertha goes,
begin to straighten themselves up, and to
feel the muscles of the calves of their legs.
When not on the track. Bertha Won Hill
lern lives and eats and dresses like other
people, with few exceptions. She sets her
face like iron against alcoholic stimulants,
sweet things. and pastry. She will not even
let her agent rub whisky inside her shoes. to
keep her feet from swelling, for fear people
will smell the whisky and think she is a
tippler. Rare beef, vegetables, oatmeal, and
plain, solid food, form the ''chief of her
diet,'' like that Of the little old man who
would never be quiet After finishing one of
her public walks she goes to bed and drops
asleep at once. Toward morning, abo.t 3 or
4 o'clock. her maid awakens her, and walks
her about her room little time, to keep her
limbs from becoming stiff. After one of her
severe walks she suffers somewhat from what
are technically called walking cramps, .
which are pains around the knee joints. To
alleviate this her legs are rubbed with salt
and water.
:. Physically there is nothing abnormal OF
startling about her. She weighs one hun
dred and ten pounds. is rather below medium
height. and has the face which. after all. is
the best for steady wear in this world-a face
which would not be noticed for being either
handsome or homely. Her hair is very
heavy, and of the fashionable blonde gold
color. She would like to wear it cut short
but, out of regard to peoples prejudices
wears it long. Furthermore, it may interest
some dress reformers to know that she wears
an ordinary corset during her walks. Bertha
came to this country about two years ago
She was famous among her acquaintance il
Germany for her walking feats as schoo
girl. She is native of Freiberg, in Baden
and is Jealous and pious Roman Catholic
Along with her piety is mingled shrewt
business streak.
Her money is invested in Boston. and sht
looks after it shrewdly, too.
'.Mine father he wants me to send my
, money to him in Germany, said she. ''bu
l won't do it. I don't like to do dat
She carries about her a little instrumen
! called a pedometer, which registers ever,
nile she walks. It Is kept going by the mo
ton of her body in walking. When we say
reaching down a little below the knee. with
g light felt hat, of the ':pork pie shape, upol
! her head. She is more muscular than pump
and her movements are energetic as well a
graceful. AS she races around the track sh
: looks like fish darting through the wate1
She is straight as an arrow. and her shoulder
s are very broad and square for a woman's
f Her walking is not in the least like that c
: ordinary persons. 1t is like that of an In
f dian on long journey. She seems to pre-
! | pei herself along with her arms and should
8 ers almost as much as with her feet. Th
: peculiar swing of her elbows and shoulder
r reminds one continually of the motion of
g birds wings. Her toes do not turn out, q
: civilized peoples are supposed to. They g
9 straight ahead, and the left foot, perhaps
p points slightly inward. She always turn
9 upon her left side as she rounds the curve
k of her track, and this constant turning
9 the left has made slight difference in he
n sides.
t, She is very popular with ladies eyerywher,
e but dislikes exceedingly to have them kit
$ her. We noticed lady bidding her good-b,,
9 and observed that at the hand-shakin
: moment Bertha slightly drew her head bacl
: aThere, said the agent, smiling, s'she
# afraid that woman is going to kiss her. Sh
: hates awfplly to have women kiss her.
I hope nobody will go now and say Berth
J. Won Hillern is crazy.
Q Only one man in America can make he
. walking shoes, and he lives in Chicago. He
: fast walking gait is so different from he
( ordinary one that, when she stops to take he
+ brief rests during the walks, the moment sh
8 stops an attendant lifts her in his arms an
, carries her to her room, and she does nc