The record-union., 1897-01-10

seven to eight feet above the ground.
In like manner he has won wagers by
his natural style Of walking from those
who would not believe he was wholly
dependent on artificial legs Since his
limbs We're cut off and he adapted
himself to his new pedals. he has made
a record of fifteen. feet in three stand
ing jumps. or five feet at a jump. AS
dancer he is vigorous, enthusiastic and
graceful; he dances the schottische.
waltz and cotillon with equal skill and
grace. < la.
LEG THE BEST TO LOSE.
FarTfer tells his friends in the great
est confidence that it is better to lose
leg than an arm, or both legs than
both arms. for there are more things
that man can do with his hands than
with his feet. Then, again, he de-
clareS In the Strictest confidence that it
were better to lose both arms and both
legs than to lose ones head. So it will
be seen he does not regard his condition
as being at the extremity of misfor-
tune.
This remarkable man continued to do
his own plowing and general farm work
up in Minnesota for some time after
he had adjusted his artificial limbs to
his person. This made him the wonder
of the entire neighborhood. People for
miles around came to see him perform
these seemingly impossible facts. Be-
fore sustaining the loss of his legs he
was known over the entire countryside
as one of the greatest athletes and
lovers of outdoor sports in that section
of the State. AS a sprinter he was
| hon h. ol,a
pion runner, but as a long distance
and high jumper he never met with one
who could defeat him. He also rode one
of the old-fashioned high wheel bicycles
with astonishing success In a short
time he expects to make his debut on
safety here in the city. He will also
show to the world what he can do in
the way of fancy ice skating as soon as
! the winter Kinks are thrown open.
AT the present time Farrier's ambi-
ton is to prove to the public that a
man who meets with the terrible mis-
fortune of losing his flesh and blood
| legs and is condemned for the rest of
his life to the wearing of artificial SUBJ
stitutes has no earthly need of walking
like cat on hot stove or of carrying
| cane or crutch to help himself along.
| The artificial legs which he wears, and
with which he is enabled to do so many
wonderful feats, were evolved out of
his own brains and made by himself
| He worked them out as a case Of
necessity
In the first place, after his frozen legs
were amputated, he went to st. Paul and
paid $500 for pair Of wooden legs on
which he could not walk at all; they
weighed eleven pounds each; they were
so heavy he could hardly drag them
after him, let alone walk and stand up
right on them. Altogether he made
three trips to st. Paul, trying to get
| legs that would fit and serve him so
that he could go about his farm work
as usual. There were fittings and refit-
tings, but all to no purpose and after
an outlay Of several hundred dollars
he was no better off so far as walking
| was concerned than when he went reel
| ing and stumping about on clumsy
wooden pegs which he had originally
Whitfield out at home until such time as
he could visit the leg dealers in st.
Paul. Then he began in earnest to study
the science of artificial legs for him
self.
SATISFACTORY ARTIFICIAL LEGS.
| The ultimate result was these legs
| which he now wears, and which he de-
clares are the next best thing to the
original legs that God gave him. They
are made of sole leather and aluminium;
| the main body is stiff sole leather and
the joints are aluminium set upon rub
Der bearings. The feet are made Of rub
| ber and wood. with toe and ankle
| joints, and shoes are worn just as upon
the natural feetJs Farrier's artificial
legs are distinguished by their light
weight and by the natural manner in
which the joints work. They weigh
only two and t.,ree-quarter pounds
each. Some of the old fashioned wooden
| legs, he says, weigh more than four
times as much as his invention. His
legs are held in place by means of sup
porting strap which passes up over his
breast and shoulders and about the
neck. He sits down and rises from a
chair without the help of his hands,
and crosses his legs and assumes all
natural and easy positions with appar-
emily as little effort as any man on
earth.
| Farmer Ferrier has not even the trou-
BILE of unlacing his shoes when he goes
| to bed and of lacing them up again in
the morning, and these things he finds
add vastly to his natural cheerfulness.
! He came to Chicago about month ago,
and with his brother, George W. Fer
rier, installed himself in suite of rooms
| at the southeast corner of State and
| Harrison streets. Here he is going to
show people what he can do in the arti-
! fetal leg business. His wife and child
rem are now living on a farm which he
owns down in Indiana. He was born
in the Hoosier State, Wabash County,
some "a years ago. He weighs consid-
erably over 200 pounds, notwithstanding
his reduction in stature.
Silas Wegg, who charged more for
reading poetry than for reading prose-
because of its weakening effect on the
mind, wore wooden leg. Sometimes he
| also wrote a little verse Farrier
| says he cannot write poetry, but can
! kick higher than and outwalk any man
| in the world who stands on artificial
underpinning.- Times Herald.
POLICE COURT.
| Rai1iff Hardy Admitted Tn fhe Rar and