The Washington times., 1904-05-15
1t IS a Graceful Walk,
and Healthful Besides,
But Peculiar.
1t Is Not a Waddle, Nor
a Grecian Bend. Nor
Yet a Side Step.
The Line From the Chin
Down Must Be Mathe-
matically Precise.
BY Marian Martineau.


has brought a new walk with
L her 1t is literally a springy
walk. but it has other things besides
springiness TO recommend it.
It is a graceful walk, it is an easy
walk, it is a healthful walk, and it is
a walk that gets there! 1t is also
walk which is adapted to the new skirt,
the 1880 skirt. and on that account it
must be called the 1880 walk.
Now, the 1880 walk is by no means an
athletic walk. 1t is more on feminine
lines. If you want to walk it, get out
your fullest dress skirt, stand in front
of a pier glass. lift up your dress until
your feet are exposed. and practice.
The pecuIiarities Of the walk are
these: You must stand up very straight,
straight enough to make a Grecian
bend. Take care 10 preserve the straight
front This front line must be mathe-
maticalIy precise. 1t must be one
straight line from the chin right down
to the tip Of the toes.
Pose Before Mirror.
Take your stand before a long glass
and stand erect. If you are correctly
poised your chest will be full and your
abdomen will be held in. To test this
LET drop a string from the bust to the
floor Tie a weight upon the end of
the string. If you are properly poised
the string Will swing clear without
touching the abdomen.
To walk correctly practice walking
upon the balls OF the feet Bear your
weight upon your foot at the broadcast
part. Do not come down upon your
heels heavily. do not place your weight
upon the back part OF your foot Let
the ball OF the foot serve as the pivot
upon which you rest the body and swing
it forward.
The woman who learns to walk upon
the balls of her feet will be able TO
wear high heeled shoes. and there are
few women who would not be glad to
wear the tall fashionable heels of the
season. They are pretty. and when
woman goes out to walk she wants to
look nice. High heels are never bene-
fetal. yet. to the woman who has learn
ed to walk upon the balls of her feet,
they are much less injurious than
though she had not acquired the art of
walking in this manner
The Correct Poise.
The correct poise is absolutely neces-
sary to the woman who Is going to
learn the new walk. She must learn
to stand with the chest out and the
abdomen in. The shoulders are thrown
back and the back IS curved. The girl
who cannot get this for herself should
take lessons Of some West Point cadet.
Let her ask the first soldier she sees
how to stand and he viii tell her to
throw the chest out. draw in the abdo-
men. square the shoulders. and pull the
elbows down.
The correct poise once learned walking
is easy. The step is long and the foot
should be swung out until IL rests al
most at right angles with the other
foot. This is easy. But it is one of those
things which must be practiced until it
becomes second nature. The right foot
IS swung forward and the left follows
it. taking a step in advance. and so the
body moves along in walking position.
The rule in the walking schools Is to
walk with the legs. not with the back,
nor with the shoulders. The body IS
held immovabie. ike that Of a soldier.
while the les. propel it along.
Legs Do All the Work.
Walk entirely with the legs and the
leg muscles" is a rule made in the walk
ing schools. Don't let the muscles OF
the back assist the legs. Make the legs
do all the work
Walking exercises are given in the
walking schools. These consist Of walk
ing in an exaggerated manner. The feet
are lifted high and the pupils walk
around the room as high steppers. The
high stepping exercise is good practice
for the legs. for it develops the muscle
and makes the legs strong and round
and firm.
The woman who is an ungraceful
walker should follow few OF the in
structions of the walking schools. A
walking school. BY the way. Is a gym
nasium where pupils are taught the
fashionable walk. It is only the very
wealthy who can afford TO attend
walking school. for it costs money The
instructors are society women in reduced
circumstances, or they are very high
priced instructors or physical culture
who take pupils for the purpose Of per-
fectins them in the usages of the best
society.
A Class of High Steppers.
high stepping Is one Of the gymnastics
which the pupils must practice. But