The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-10
WALKING is FASHION
HOW HEAVY NEW WORKERS TRY TO
REDUCE THEIR WEIGHT.

Good Natured On the Daily
Procession as 1t Passes BY.
Pedestrianism is quite the proper thing
nowadays. Even when the streets are
in a filthy condition, the daily constitu-
tional is quite as necessary to the aver
age man as his daily bath or his evening
of recreation. lie takes a stroll on the
ven perhaps to timber up his joints
and meet his friends. Perhaps, if he is
inclined to rotundity, he does it to re-
duce his weight.
Of late Central park has been growing
in popularity among the portly class. If
you will take a trip up to the big reser
voir at almost any time of the day, you
may see any number of people of all
ages, conditions and degrees of prosper
ity plodding about the 14-mile track
which surrounds it.
The reservoir is the highest portion of
Manhattan Island. The view from all
sides is picturesque. On the south the
city lies stretched out in a magnificent
panorama as far as the eye can reach. 1t
is a spot particularly adopted for the
purpose for which it was intended-the
pleasure of the people.
Some of the pedestrians there are sprint
ers, and do their work without regard
to dignity. Others shunt around with
all the di nifty of a game cock. It is not
an Uncommon sight to see a woman
weighing from 200 to 800 pounds putting
along like a slow going locomotive with
a heavy train attached, her arms swing
ing at her sides like the driving rods of
an engine. She is out for what there is
in it. She cares nothing for the ques-
tioning looks of the spectators nor for
their unkind remarks. She has just so
many pounds to remove per the doctors
orders, and she is trying to do it.
So regularly do these open air fends
make their appearance on the track that
the men employed at the gatehouse on
the south side in the capacity of watch
men, gatekeepers and helpers can spot
one half a mile away.
"There comes Aunty So-and-so," they
comment. what a gait she has got on
this morning.! See that stride! She's
trying to break the record"
"And there is Pepper So-and-so. He's
'making good time too. Wonder if he'll
overtake her before she reaches the turn?
Whew, but he's making the gravel fly!
Five pounds off this morning sure" and
as the reducers of flesh go flying past the
%gatehouse the nod Familiarity to the men
who happen to be in sight.
"Whois this coming?" asked a reporter
of the men at the g%atehouse a few days
ago as he saw a young woman approach
ing.
"Why, we call her Beauty" one of the
men replied. She wasa tall young wom-
an, fair, and with the form of a Juno.
She was striding along on the other side
of the lake. As she passed the men she
nodded good morning and strobe away,
her head in the air, her shoulders back,
chest thrown forward and with a 3-foot
stride. She was out for oxygen. Her
cheeks glowed with the rosy hue Of per-
feet health, and her eyes sparkled like
diamonds.
"She lives on Fifth avenue" contin-
ued n of the helpers. Every morn
ing at 8 o'clock, if the weather is any
way pleasant, she is here walking for
dear life. But amt she a 'beaut? And
she's not stuck up a bit. She has a nod
and a smile for all of the boys, just as
you saw her then. I'll wager every dol
lar I have that there isn't a man on this
road that can overtake her if she is in
the mood for sprinting. Look at that
stride of hers. She covers three feet
two, I'll bet" and taking a tape measure
frow his pocket he measured the marks
Of her feet after she had passed.
81 told you So" he exclaimed, holding
up the tape SO it could be seen. ''Three
feet two and one-half," and he grinned
with delight. Eyes, I've measured it be-
FORE" he acknowledged, when accused
Of it. you see, I take a great interest
in the girl, because two years ago when
she first began coming here she looked
as if she could not live a month. She
was Is pale as a ghost. Her chest was
sunken in, and 1 thought she was going
into consumption. You would never
think it to see her now, bub. Winter or
summer she seldom misses a day except
perhaps during the extreme heat of the
summer and rainy Or wet weather. Her
father is a commission merchant down
town. and very often he accompanies
her in her walks. Everybody likes to
watch her, she isso graceful and strong
Then came a man of about so, short
and very obese. He had a very large
head, short gray whiskers and legs that
were no larger than baseball bats.
Morning" he said, with a nod of recog-
milton. Fine air-lots of it. Three
pounds off this morning or die. Lots of
people out. Goodby," and as his spindle
shanks, working at the rate of 100 times
a minute, carried him out of range of
hearing he was still talking. He was a
Wall street broker. He has been trying
to reduce his flesh for a year, but he is
as fat now as ever.
But here comes the hummer"
Morning, boys, morning. Can't stop
talk. In hurry. Make circuit 20 min
utes or bust. By by" And he was out
of hearing.
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