The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-06-06

upon the skaters foot on the parlor carpet,
but proved a failure and was used only
upon "a hard floor or upon the sidewalk
The wheels being rigidly set in the axles
skating upon this skate, excepting In q
straight line was out Of the question, and
its popularity wancd because OF its imprac-
ticability and the difficult and laborious
efforts necessary 10 move II. "Grace was
in all her steps when lady skater moved
over the floor with the parlor skates upon
her feet, but pain was in her face and
tired feeling In her soul,
Many inventions followed the Tyer
skate. Mr.. Plimpton has moro than 900
different skates upon wheels in his mu-
scum which tell the tale Of an immense
amount of thought, labor and money be-
slowed upon the absorbing subject Of sup
plying 60 tho skating fraternity suitable
rolling skate Of scientific pretensions and
practical value No doubt thousands OF
strenuous efforts were made by great In
ventors TO produce what was required for
the skater, but after thousands Of attempts
and the production Of some OF the most
ridiculous results tho perfect Plilnpton
roller skate entered the arena, and, TO the
surprise of the skater, met his require
ments 10 the letter. II is patented as q
"guidable skate, " the principle patent hay-
ing been procured upon the rocking foot
plato which guides the wheels by cramping
them by the motion of the foot which rests
upon the skate either to tho right or tho
left, Just as the forward wheels Of n wagon
are cramped by moving the axle. This Is a
principle, and q principle alone could not
be patented, but the application Of that
principle TO the roller skate was patented
in all parts of tho world. This Is n great
patent, for II is impossible 60 mako n skate
which will DO "guidable" without tho
rocking footplate.
The only difference OF Importance be-
tween roller and ice skating is in move
ments in which the skater turns from for
ward TO backward and In the performance
of tho "spins." These movements are done
generally upon the center Of the skate on
tho ice while in roller skating the turns
must be dono upon heel or toe. Roller
skating Is much easier to learn than Ice
skating, but the ice skater must remem-
Der that tho rollers are mechanical Tho
best ice skaters have frequently fallen in
the very first steps upon the rollers when
refusing TO heed the warning TO walk first
N order to get the "feel" Of the skate and
learn that when circle IL struck on the
roller skate there Is no forcing the curve
and the skater will como around to where
he started the circle just as certainly as IL
that circle were struck with pair of di-
viders. For this reason the movements
may be done with more precision on roll
ors than on the ice skate. Another advan-
tago of the roller over the leo skate Is that
the skating surface Is always ready and
does not depend either upon the season or
the fickleness of the weather.
The first steps upon the rollers should
be walking, with the toes well turned out,
which position will give support and re-
sistance. After thus walking carefully sew
eral times around the room the beginner
may glide slowly and carefully TO right
and left and then part of a circle gradually
increased until IA graceful roll, while sup
ported by companion, may DO acquired
I'm the first lesson. After this all tho move
ments known to ice skating may be done
on the rollers with as much grace and less
fear of falling than upon the ice.
MARVIN X. CLARK.