The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1897-07-16


two men making a neck and meek finish
In WATERSHEDS ought to be one witch
would be well worth eeing.
The much-talSed OF shoes to which
Cook is giving a Considerable reputation,
are, in reality, comparatively simple in
construction, and, even had he invented
them, not calculated to give him a ma
tional reputation. They are in fact,
nothing but boat-shaped boxes, with
fms attached to the bottom. The box is
| about three and one-half feet in length
| by foot wide and high, and pointed at
the forward end, the top and bottom be-
ing fiat 1t is made of very light and
carefully selected cedar, and is strongly
backed with angle braces every little
way, so that it is strong and rigid. The
! top is covered in, all but two valves for
dumping out the water if any should
chance to get in by accident, and a hole
into which to put the foot. This hole is
directly in the centre of the shoe and
does not, of course, open directly into the
body of it, as in that case when any
water were splashed over the foot it
would run into the shoe, which would
!
useless. Instead of this the hole for the
foot leads into a ~atertight box, which
serves the same purpose as a water
tight cockpit in a boat. This is just the
length of the foot at the bottom, and at
the top is brought in a little so as to give
the toe a hold; but room is left so that
the foot may be easily withdrawn, as
there are times when the water walker
g.. t,s cl,x
The fins furnish the means of propul-
sion, and OF these there are half a dozen.
These are pieces of ceGar which are fas-
tened to the bottom of the shoe by
hinges, the side toward the stern being
left free. These fins extend from side to
side of the shoe, and are about five inches
deep. At the sides there are canvas
flaps which. after the hinge has opened
the fin out to an angle of about As degrees
with the bottom of the shoe, check it and
hold it in place. Thus, when the shoe is
slid forward, the hinges allow the fins to
fold back against the bottom; but when
1t is pushed back they open out, giving
a grip in the water which allows the
walker to push himself ahead
That apparently makes walking on the |
water easy, but don't try the experiment |
in deep water, unless you are a good |
swimmer The feat isn't half as easy |
In practice as it looks on paper. The I
song famed McGinty did not go down T
to the bottom of the sea any quicker than |
you will if you are not careful in your
first attempts. There is only one way to |
get ahead, VIZ: Keep your knees stiff
and swing your legs from the hips, keep
ing your weight evenly distributed be-
tween the two shoes. A man looks about
as graceful q a wounded duck trying to
rise from the water when pushing along
a la Cook; but, with care and practice,
1t can be done. It never will be popu-
lar sport with the multitude.
The sensation of the last few days has
been the public announcement of the
fact that last April well known young
lady, the daughter of James Stevenson,
real estate owner, disap-
peared, and that since that time no
trace of her has been found. Many a
young person has suddenly disappeared
from Boston in past years, but no case
Of one wealthy and so well situated is
on record, where money and the best of
detective skill could not locate her There
seems to be but one answer to the ques-
ton, Where is Grace Stevenson" She
Is not dead, but alive, and somewhere
safely hidden away with the knowledge
of somebody who is now or was recently
in this city l Know this is the opinion of
the shrewdest man at work on the case,
and that in ais opinion the mystery is
Gov !. .
hiding place is concerned.
There are some people who are wonder
Ing where Boston will land if she con- ]
.inues sailing at her present pace. The
gross debt of the city and county at the I
opening of the present year was $685.
1854. The auditors exhibit under date
If July l shows the gross Indebtedness Z
% have risen to $7S 1913, 100.57; that is, an
Increase of 1882, 1858. The net debt
hat is, the gross debt less the means of
payment in the sinking funds-was s40,- !
1913, 1852. 72 on the first of the year. The re-
port for July gives it as SAC, SIG, O32.33; q
IN Increase Of 1922, 679.61.
Edith Mason, soprano of the Castle
square Opera company, who has been Y
,onfied to her home in Philadelphia by L
carlet fever, is slowly recovering. 1t is
aid that she contracted her sickness by d
;issing the hundreds of children that n
ongregate at the stage door at every
with whom she is in great IA Fl
or sometimes being escorted home
yard by procession of no less than 500
aides and children, patrons of the ma
inees. n
Roland Reed, who will open the season s.
I the Museum Aug. 49, is passing the v
lmmer at his home on the west side of =
Jew York. He says that he has an OPP +
ortunity to see the country all the fall, e.
linter and spring; and he wants to try b
lis own comfortable home during the
ot weather.
Mr.. Max Heindl, director of the orches-
"a al the Castle Square theater, is rap C,
lily making an enviable reputation for IL
is selection of entr'acte music. He has d
ome very capable solo artists among his o.
len and is thus enabled to give pleas
lg variety to his programs. h
Bertha Creighton, who was last season
ne leading lady with Sol Smith Russell n