The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-10

scientifically and perfectly made as the
finest bicycle bearings. All bearings
are ball bearings, and run as smoothly
as the finest skilled machine work can
make them.
It is great sport, but one that makes
the prospective beginner SILVER like the
small boy before the first swim in
springtime. If one can skate at all he
looks like an expert as he comes swing
ing down the line. There are always
few beginners, of course, who slide
about on the protecting arm Of the in
structor and the about-to-begin at once
says: % Not that for me- 1t is easier
than it looks, tho. In the first place,
there is not the strain on the ankles
that there is in ice skating. Then the
skates run so easily that it is not neces-
sary to expend any effort in driving
them. It is simply trick Of shifting
and managing the weight, and when
once the trick is learned there is no
more grief until the skater tries to get
smart or becomes embarrassed.
Novices shortlived.
The first thing, the novice discovers
is that he, too, is putting up the fine
expert front and is gliding over the
floor as easily and gracefully as any
body, and it is celebrating. With
enough room to allow free r"otion, it
comes as near to flying as anything.
The next thing to learn is how to stand
still gracefully. Many Dragging be-
ginner has stopped over at this stage Of
the game and gone to the mat in heap.
In the latter case it is well to learn to
fall gracefully also.
There is no mistaking the fact that
Minneapolis has surrendered, horse,
foot and dragons, to the sport. It's pa
irons are not confined to any one social
or financial class. 1t is a sport for
everybody and everybody enjoys it..
Parties of bond clippers may be seen at
the local Kinks having their sport with
the coming captains of finance, who,
for the moment, may be serving their
apprenticeship as clerks. The wife Of
the successful business man enjoys the
fun as much as the schoolgirls and ste
nographers. No one can corner the
skill and grace that is part Of the
sport. The vigorous young damsel who
is working for her living often de-
rives large loaf Of comfort from the
fact that she can pass the cards and
spades over to some more fortunate
sister, and yet put up the better ap-
pearance on the floor. It is a demo-
cratic sport.
Spills Cause Fun.
The antics of clever comedian cause
no more hearty merriment than follows
a spill of any sort. The girl generally
gets more sympathy than the man, but
they both fall just the same The
beauty Of all the falls is the fact that
they cause no serious injuries. One
pair Of skaters may spill and trip a
dozen more and nobody will be hurt.
Everybody laughs and scrambles for
cover.
The Minneapolis Kinks are busy places
any night. The first sound is the whir
and hum Of the skates on the floor.
Then there is the band that adds to
the general air of merriment and keeps
time for the skaters There are scores
of employees; ticket men, check room
attendants, instructors, and floor mana
gers, and last of all the grimy little
skate boys who fit the skates for every
body. One often wonders how these
youngsters ever got wise to the business,
as they are so young. What they don It
know about feet and skates tho, is not