Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-01-26
HOW TO SKATE.

IL,
OF course, proportionately expensive;
but it is very requisite that the steel
should be good. Choo skates that are
exactly the length OF the foot. no those
wnicn nave the iron cut q an inch with
Ia the heel. The iron should extend
PACK ward to the extreme edge OF the
heel. and he corners should be rounded.
az attention to the depth of the blade.
fr it is DIES rable that the loot be as
near the ice as possible. and vet neces-
sary to have it so high that. in leaning
over. the edge of the sole sh uld not
touch the ice. AS to the fasten IN IS.
there are many modes ually good the
m in point is 10 see TINT the ska g is SO
per Getty secured to the foot that it can
not move in the least, and the impor-
tance of this can not be overrated. ANY
fastening that aids in supporting the
ankle God.
Now let US suppose that you have
donned your skates. At first you will
have enough to do to prevent them run
ing away wi h YOU. so begin by at
tie pting. as gently as you like. and
with the very shortest steps you can
take, to walk u on the ice. After a
little practice you will find yoursef in
siinctiveiy str king out little. It is
then time to learn the first movement.
which is called forward striking, or
running. and is done in this way: The
toes are turned out so that the lee are
nearly at ght angles with eac other;
the pos ton is important beca Sc it is
on thus you can obta n pu hing power.
} rom that position each loot is lifted
Alternately. and set down on the insi e
edge. when it Immediately slides for.
ward. all the more readily since the 9TH
er loot held at right angles) can bear
against the ice without slid no. Per ect
regularity stepping from foot to loot
is essen ial
When you can t me your strokes
even y, anu gain the necessary impetus,
YOU ma Occa iOnaliy vary the proceed
lngs by bringing your .teet together.
and running in that way for consider.
able d stance In tn 8. which is called
the serpent'ne the feet are aced
parallel, instead o at right angles, and
they remain parallel throughout the
movement. If you would learn it east
ly. take few strokes forward 10 gain
force, and then br ng the feet parallel,
but well apart. keeping the knees bent.
ant viii going alonr N this manner
try to make The ne wavv BIZ turning
both feet at once without lifting them1
in the same rect on, say to the right,
swinging The body with them; then
both to the left. with swing to that
side. and so on.
The common backward motion on
both feet is exactly the same as the
''serpent ne," cept that It is back
ward instead OF toward. To learn
this backward motion take a few
strokes onward. then spin quite round,
and viii the impetus lasts turn The
ght toe inward. and pu h yourself
Lack from that DOT; then turn tie left
one inward, pus ling from it, and so ON
alternately. lean ng forward all the
time Practice WI make it cas- not
merely to kee) up the first in petus
bu To increase il. and even 10 leg N il
w thout all Onward strokes.
How delightful is the swift motion,
EXul ING in your g owing confidence
and n the progress alread made. and
lee ng that you are at length attain ng
your sh and becom no indeed a
skater. it s crushing this juncture TO
be told by some Ir endlv pro EN- that
you onl, at the threshold the art.
since you know no hing vet of NOV NO
on the outs.d de edge. owing on the
GU side edge 1t sounds alarming.
Take courage it is really not so for
midable Us t seems. and moreo er,
there are few dIa.cult es you know,
winch do n It Van sh be ore patience
and perseverance,.
The first thing you have to do in
order to get Ourself on the outs de
edge is To endeavOr to skate round in a
circle. as large circle as you please at
rst. but to be grldua ly redu ed as YOU
mp 'ov.. As yoI lift ch foot or the
next stroke try TO cross it in front quite
over the other and set it down then
the other in front of that. and so on al
ternately Now, as the iron alwa
circles towar the de on which it
rests, it follow at the foot nearest
the inside of the circle must work ON
the outside edge of the iron. Con sc.
uentiy your oh ect will lie 10 dwell as
long as you can on that DOT. and as
briefly a. you can on the other. which
works ON the inside edge. The loot
that IS beh nd must be kept behind un-
I'll It is to be set down in front: it mus.
not be carried in the air in front or an
instdnf.
1t is sea -cely necessary to remind
you again that the lie loot must be ex-
erc,sed ually with the ght. In TACT,
it is a good rue in IN and all cure
to e the let double practice. so
ter kat NJ with the right foot to the
ms de OF the circle. go of in the oppo-
site direct ON. and make circle with
the lett loot to e inside of it. Some
difficulty is sure TO be experienced in
putting Town the DOT cutie across the
other; but diligent practice will soon
repay you W tn the discovery that Won
can dwell for a few yards on the outs de
edge. and pei keep NJ the raised
lO,t wei back the mean time-near.
ly compile e The circle.
After ta.:s is accompl shed You NAV
congratulate Yourself on hav NO become
SIX lifui s alter. If vou wish to learn
figure ska ing, however. y have much
wor< still be ore you The Ike, tot is
be ng able turn rapidly ON one
edge o. Tie skate to the lother. hut
long and ar'luons practice Will be re-