Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-04-25
MAKING ARTIFICIAL LIMBS.
Secrets Of Trade-Persons Who Garry
Around Different Sets.

Secrets Of Trade-Persons Who Garry
Around Different Sets.
oh, yes, indeed, they come pretty
high. said the artificial legmaker, ac
cording TO the Shoe Retailer. 1T is
a beauty, though, isn't it? l venture
to say there amt another one in Phil
adelpnia Ike it, on or off, and it's as
light as a feather, too"
With these words the creator Of
artificial limbs flourished a leg in the
air. He was fat and smiling and he
spoke with an indistinguishable for
eign accent and every once in a while
his face beamed with enthusiasm.
They all come to Philadelphia for
them, too" he continued. We've
customers from all over Europe, Asia
and Africa. There are lots of leg
makers in the city-at least they cali
themselves such-but some of them
are not legmakers at all; they're har-
nessmakess.'
The august Philadelphia legmaker
purveyor to kings, queens ana govern
ment officials, took a little time to
show the specimens around the room.
They were fat and thin. long and
short, graceful and otherwise. Some
of them were huddled in corners, ac
cumulating the dust OF ages, others
hung aloft on racks SO light and airy
that they were waited to and fro in
the breeze
You See" continued the legmaker,
I'VE know how to do things now
We've got the secret all right. First,
they chop down the willow tree;
then we cut out the legs. 1t takes
a heap of flexible leather to put the
tendons in the right place See that
spring in the ankles? That's made
by the leather tendOns If you saw
one on a man you could not tell the
difference The whole thing is Gov
cred with fine pink enamel. Looks
natural enough, don't it," At this
juncture a rap came on the door and
big man, feet 4, weighing nearly
smilingly complaisant as he lighted a
cigaret and shook hands with the
legmaker.
Can you do a rush order for me
double Quick?' he asked. 1--WE
come through a tough fight" ne went
on. You know, l always travel
with a bunch of legs, and coming up
this way from New Orleans the Pull
man car was burned and all four OF
my legs were lost. l only saved the
one I had on. and now you've got to
ger to work to make another set for
me. double quick" With an air OF
languor and ease the big man stood
to have himself measured.
Do you know who he is?" ques
toned he of the leg trade, after the
ponderous man had gone We'll, he
is the son of one of the richest WON
en- in the United States. He always
comes to Philadelphia to have his
sets made. Plain. ordinary boxes dc
for most people to cart their legs
around in, but hes got fine leather
cases, with his name engraved upon
them"
DO many of them go into it or
such a wholesale plan?" was queriet
of the leg maker.
Heaps of them" he replied
Some of them can do any
thing with 'em. There's one young
man in this city who belongs to a glee
club and they tell me he's the best
dancer Of Irish jigs in the town. He
was a good dancer before he lost his
leg and he's all right yet.
There are six or seven men ii
public life, well known, who veal
artificial limbs. None but their in
innate friends and families know it
however. One young lady in Phlla
delphia, who led a number of dances
last winter, has an artificial leg. 1
is easy to waltz with one after yot
learn how. to use them.
"Oh, yes. artifcial-leg making is
the thing for me-" concluded the leg
maker. Il started out as fine car
petter, doing up banks and public
buildings, and one day went into {
place in New York to order an arti
fetal limb for friend in distress. This
maker was a doctor, strange to say
He sized me up and l sized him III
anil in a short time I was under con
tract to work for him, They can
steal our patents, either for it's a
hard to make an artificial limb with
out years of learning as it would bt
for some tinhorr maker to produce 6
Stradivarius.
PRESENT CONDITIONS IN JAPAN