, 1889-05-23

The girl of the period" generously
says a prominent chiropodist. lis devot-
ing herself more and more to the study Of
her foot. She has fouLd out that this
instrument is capable of as much devel
opment for strength and beauty (really
synonymous termsl as her hand. She
knows that the splendid exercise OF piano
playing, in which each finger and every
muscle Of the hand. wrist and arm is
developed to The greatest state of elasti-
city and to beauty's own mouldings con
tains the very hint she wants to follow in
the development of the foot. No, she
is not going to play the piano with her
feet, but she is going through a lot of
Gymnastic exercises with them. She sits
on the bed every morning working her
toes. then she walks around the room on
her bare toes. and Strengthening out her
ankles like a ballet girl, with every step.
She finds at first that she can hardly raise
herself or the balls of her feet and walk
on them.
Presently that becomes easy. In a
week or so the exercise will accomplish
that much. Then she grows able TO lift
herself off ever the balls of her feet on to
the very toes alone for moments at a time.
Then she sits down on the ped and gives
them lighter exercises. Just by working
them until they will move independently
of each other. At first she has to pull
them with her hands as far as possible in
all different directions, Just like the plan
ist practices his hands on the technicon.
They are very awkward at first, Just as
the fingers would have been if not prac-
tlced, and. indeed, as many peoples fin
gers are. She is no longer a victim to
the foolish prejudice against spreading her
feet out on the floor. She is no longer n
victim Of the illusion to the eye, ignorant
of art, that bitterness is beauty. She no
longer desires a set of cramDed toes, but
spreads them out on the floor and tries to
make them assume the square, beau
tiful proportions OF the baby's sweet foot.
IN fact the foot development carze
with the fashionable progressive girl of
the period may be called the baby foot
craze. These exercises of the foot and
toes makes them able to spring twice as
far off their feet. She is constantly seek
ing better shoes. She is doing lust the
reverse of what she used to do when she
fought with her shoemaker because the
shoe was not tight enough. She is now
constantly fighting with him to get them
bsoader at the toes, and many a girl who
is proud of heI new sensible, progressive
idea will hold the toe of a broad shoe In
view for you in the street cars, at home
and elsewhere.
Many Jokes are cracked on the corn
doctors in the papers, but we always ad-
wise people to wear anything but pointed
shoes. The foot and toes should have all
the freedom of the hand and fingers. A
great many girls also ask US for advice
about curing pigeon toe. 1t is a curious
thing that many girls live all their lives
and are laughed at by the boys for
walking pigeon toed, when they never
notice that they walk differently from
other people. But those who have it can
correct it to a great extent by practice.
| advised several young ladies in a prac-
tlce which they say has greatly improved
them. That is to get before a mirror in
their dressing rooms and walk towards it,
stepping high and extending the leg
straight out toward the glass at every
step. They thus find when the foot lights
how it crosses in upon the vertical plane
which the other foot must reverse for Its
movement. They thus see how the legs
are not hinged quite properly, and learn
to move them in parallel planes. Step
ping forward and backward toward the
mirror will frequently correct pigeon toed
walking. -PhHadelphid Record.