The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-01-27
HOW TO SKATE.

Skates made with the best steel are,
of course, proportionately expensive;
but it is very requisite that the steel
should be good Choose skates that are
exactly the length of the foot, not those
which have the iron cut OF an inch with
in the heel The iron should extend
backward to the extreme edge of the
heel. and the corners should be rounded
Pay attention to the depth of the blade,
for it is desirable that the foot be as
near the ice as possible, and yet neces-
sary to have it so high that in leaning
over, the edge of the sole should not
touch the ice. As to the fastenngs.
there are many modes e ually good; the
main point is to see that the skate is 50
perfectly 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 is good.
Now leu us suppose that you have
donned your skates. At first you will
have enough to do to prevent them rum
ming away with you So begin by at
tempting, as gently rs you like, and
with the very shortest steps you can
take, to walk upon the ice. After a
little practice you will find yourself in
stinctively striking out a little. 1t 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 ieet are
nearly at right angles with each other;
the position is important, because it is
only thus you can obtain pushing power.
From that position each foot is lifted
alternately and set down on the inside
edge, when it Immediately slides for
ward, all the more readily since the 9TH
or foot (held at right angles can bear
against the ice without sliding. Perfect
regularity in stepping from foot to foot
| is essential.
When you can time your strokes
evenly, and gain the necessary impetus,
you may occasionally vary the proceed
| ings by bringing your feet together,
! and running in that way for a consider
able distance In this, which is called
the serpentne," the feet are placed
| parallel, instead of at right angles, and
| they remain parallel throughout the
movement If you would learn it east
! ", take few strokes forward to gain
force, and then bring the feet parallel,
but well apart, keeping the knees bent,
and while going along in this manner
try to make the line wavy by turning
both feet at once without lifting them)
in the same direction, say TO the right,
swinging the body with them; then
both to the left, with q swing to that
side, and so on.
The common backward motion on
both feet is exactly the same as the
"serpentine,n except that it is back.
ward instead of forward. To learn
ibis backward motion take a few
strokes forward, then spin quite round,
and while the impetus lasts turn the
right toe inward, and push yourself
back from that foot; then turn the left
one inward, pushing from it. and so OF
alternately, leaning forward all the
time, Practice will make it easy no
merely to keep up the first impetus
but to increase it, and even to begin i
without any forward strokes.
How delightful is the swift motion
Exulting in your growing confidence
and in the progress already made, anC
feeling that you are at length attaining
your wish and becoming indeed
skater, it is crushing at this iuncture (,
be told by some friendly proficient tina
you are only at the threshold OF the art
since you know nothing yet of moving
on the outside edge Moving on thu
outside edge! 1t sounds alarming,
Take courage; it is really not so for
midable as it seems, and moreover
there are few difficulties, you know
which do not vanish before perseverance
The first thing you have to do il
order to get yourself on the outsid
edge is to endeavor to skate round in
circle, as large a circle as you please a
first, but to be gradually reduced as yol
improve. AS you lift each foot for tn
next stroke try to cross it in front quit
over the other and set it down; the
the other in front of that, and so on al
ternately. Now, as the iron alwav
circles toward the side on which
rests, it follows that the foot neares
the inside of the circle must work o.
the outside edge of the iron. Conse
quently your object will be to dwell a
long as you can on that foot, and a
briefly as you can on the other, whic
works on the inside edge. The foe
that is behind must be kept behind III
til it is to be set down in front; it me-
not be carried in the air in front for a
instant.
1t is scarcely necessary to remin
you again that the left foot must be e,
ercised equally with the right In fac
it is a good rule in this and all figure
to give the left double practice
after skating with the right foot to IL
inside of the circle, go off in the opp'
site direction, and make a circle wit