The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-04-01
The Postman On Walking.

All but doctors. and men who sell
liniment will be glad to read the advice
that follows about the proper way to
walk in these slippery times. The all
vice came from IL very old postman
jogging home from ris daily rounds:
you've seen posimen climbing up
front steps, diving into Easements, and
scooting across streets in the slipperiest
kind of weather." the old man said.
I'm sure you never saw a postman fall
down, unless he was very young and
inexperienced. Walking. you sec, is the
most important part of postman's
duty, next to ringing door-bclls SO us to
bring the girl on the first ring. / can
tell you in two minutes how to walk;
and if you remember what l say you
will never fall any more.
'.ln the first place, you must go along
with your feet pretty far apart. That is
ono important thing. Most persons
Walk With their feet close together
very. close That's all right in summer,
but in winter it's all wrong. Your foot
is likely to land on Il round piece of ice
or snow and slip sideways toward the
other foot, which is going along all
right. II your feet are close together,
nlnc times out of ten the one that slips
Will knock the other from under YOU,
and down you go. If it doesn't it will
get so thoroughly mixed up with IL that
your ankles will curl all together, lust
like grapcvines, and before YOU can get
them Strengthened out, down YOU 90
anyhow. If your feet arc well apart, rs
they should be, you have time to think,
reflect, and get ready before the crash
comes, and perhaps save bone.
Another important thing is to land we'll
on the ball of the foot when YOU walk.
If you can't get the ball of your foot
down first, bring it down just rs soon
as you do the heel, anyhow. Come
down tlatfooted. That isn't fancy heel
and-toc walking, but it's business, and
it's safer, And this is why. You may
slip and fall Il million times, and every
time, if you notice anything, YOU viii
notice that it was your heel that slipped,
and not the ball of your foot 1t is al
ways the heel that slips. don't know
why, unless it is that the sole of the
shoe, being broader, gets firmer hold.
"Ihcse two rules, if you follow them
out carefully, will savo you the price of
good many bottles of arnica There
are some others, but they are not SO inn
portant. One is always to keep tho
body Timber rs you go along; keep tho
legs Timber at the knees, too. 1t is al
ways stinf, digniticd sort of man that
goes down, because he holds himself so
that he is not prepared to lean quickly
one way or the other and save himself.
l don't want to see the nation get
| round-shouldercd, but to hold the shoul-
ders too far back in slippery weather is
not very good either; it fixes one all
ready to fall. The best way to mold
oneself is III imitation of those Indians
that you sec pictures of going along at n
sort of jog trot, with their bodies stoop-
ing a little forward. Keep your eyes
on the ground in front of you, as though
you We're following trail, and look for
very slippery spots. and observe the
other rules; and if you are lady you
can dispense with the humiliation of
holding your mutf behind your back,
trying to make folks believe you prefer
to carry it that way."-M Y iSun.