The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-11
QUEEN OF SKATERS
LITTLE MABEL DAVIDSON, OF ST.
PAUL, IS ASTONISHING LON
DON.
AS GRACEFUL AS A BIRD.
DOES SERPENTINES, RINGI, ISTS.
GRAPEvINES AND FIGURE
EIGHTS.
SHE'S THE LADY CHAMPION
And the Britishers Say She Is En-
titled to the Title She
Wears.


There is an American girl in London
who can probably perform more won
ders on skates than any other girl liv-
ing, says the New York Herald In
fact there are very few men who can
equal the featS, and the feet, of Miss
Mabel Davidson on the ice. AT present
she is performing, If a pleasure may be
called performing" at the National
skating palace. She is Veritable
queen Of the ice and is a constant
marvel to the LondonerS Never a
fairy had lighter feet than this slender
miss. She appeared last week before
crowd numbering thousands, and for
an hour or more the Johnny Bulls and
their wives and sweethearts We're dumb
with amazement
Miss Davidson claims the titIe OF the
champion lady skater of the world"
and she certainly seemed 20 deserve
that honor She swayed and turned
and whirled and pirouetted and waltzed
with amazing rapidity and grace. All
her figures were cut so rapidly that
few but expert skaters themselves
could follow the changes
Probably the tricks that were most
applauded were a foot over foot move
ment and a forward and backward run
IN sitting posture, one leg being kept
straight out in front of the body Miss
Davidson appeared in a bright Scotch
plaid frock, with a skirt that barely
reached TO the tops of her high boots
once upon the ice, she did not delay
her performance a moment. She began
by skating swiftly backward around
the big rink. There was nothing par
ticularly artistic in this. Many an
English girl could have done the same
thing
Stopping suddenly, Miss Davidson re-
Fersed and car gliding around in the
sweeping outside edge movement so
familiar to all. The outside edge back
ward was more difficult and ELECTED a
storm of applause. AT the same time
there were many who discounted Miss
Davidson's work. apparently because it
was $50 easily done
Just when the Specta tors had made
up their minds that the skater was
rather ordinary. Miss Davidson began
10 surprise them. She began with the
cross roll forward or the foot over
loot, as the English call it, Then the
spectators changed their minds as 70
her ability When she did the same
thlng backward with the ease and
grace or swallow in the air their en-
thusiasm knew no bounds. They rose
IN their seats and ripped their gloves
with applause.
When she had finished the foot over
root business Miss Davidson began 10
cut fancy figures. First there was a
huge figure s, which she cut with her
tiny skates with mathematical exact
ness
spread eagle forward carried her
mar around the rink, A spread eagle
backward took her in the other direc-
ton.
Then came grapevine SO intricate
and yet so well defined that the Eng
nshmen could almost see the grapes on
It, 'i
It's all right but the fruitr yelled
man with mutton chops
III make the fruit for you" said
the skater
Then. with an indescribable twist Of
hef body and a flash of skirts she
went whirling around so RAPIDLY thar
Inc eye could scarcely follow her She
Whlfled on her heels. on her toes on
one foot and on both feet, with the ut-
most ease, until the spectators were
dizzy
Pivot circling'' came next. and in
this Miss Davidson is certainly the pre-
mler. There is probably no movement
on skates so graceful and charming as
that clrcling whirl. 1t is too difficult.
however, for most skaters.
Miss Davidson then went back to the
loot over foot figures, which had so
captvated the Englishmen. After \
lew minutes Of this, she began sled
dlng around the rink-that is, sitting
down while going at full speed and
holding one led straight out in front.
Inc skater concluded with a bewiI
dering series of "cross foots.7 sernen-
tines, loops and ringlets, that put the
rink IN an uproar. When she had fin
lshed there was loud volley of .'bra-'
Vos and everybody went away con
Nlnced that Miss Davidson deserved
the lady championship.