davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1921-01-16

hood were centered in the stage.
so ] grew up bswlegged because my
legs hadn't been strong enough yet to bear
my weight, and they just sprung under mo
and stayed that way. didn't notice it at
first.
1T wasn't till three years ago. when /
was playing in Seventeen in Chicago.
that / really felt terribly bad about them,
Then one day in department store | saw
some legs in a mirror at the bottom Of a
counter and l laughed before l realized
they were-mine!
After that / was always conscious of
my legs while / was on the stage. / found
that | couldn't concentrate upon my lines
for thinking Of my legs. ] tried standing
different ways so that the curve wouldn't
be noticed. found that when ] balanced
my whole weight on one foot the effect
was horrible.
MY legs came to be an obsession. IL
people were nice to me | imagined II was
because they we're thinking, Poor child
she's bowlegged.'
In Clarence there was scene where
] had to run up couple OF steps and stay
poised on the top. II gave the audience a
frightful glimpse at my bowed legs and ]
almost died OF modification at every sin
gle performance.
Then l heard Of a great Chicago bone
specialist who straightens children's legs.
determined to make him straighten mine.
At first he wouldn't listen to me. He said
my legs we're healthy and that he wasn't
performing operations for looks
Meanwhile there was Chicago girl
who was constantly bothering him with
the same plea. Re wouldn't listen to her
either, until one day she met with taxi
accident and had both legs broken In
exactly the right places. She jubilantly
called up that surgeon and told him he'd
Great britain Rights Reserved
The Washington times., 1921-01-16

the stage or have this done And couldn't
couldn't give up the stage"
So Miss Gordons operation was not only
unusual, but unpleasant, and 1t will be
strangely untrue to human nature II dur
ing these next three months she does not
often wish she had never heard Of a SUI.
geon or a bone-chisel, or that she had not
been allowed to walk until she was four
years old, or that actresses worked behino
a counter like shop girls-or any one OF a
number Of wishes that a bed-ridden young
lady of lively nature might be expected
to wish. Besides which, the operation was
costly, as most operations are, and It will
take those three months and more RICH:
out OF Miss Gordon's life.
Almost every adult case of bowlegs by
the way has existed since early childhood.
and only a few are due to injury or dis
ease. The common predisposing Of "genu
varum," as the doctors call 1t, is the care
lessness OF parents in allowing children TO
walk at too early an age, when the little
bones are not stiff enough to bear the
weight of the body. Or the malformation
may develop in adolescence when the body
is changing and growing rapidly. Rick.
ets," sometimes, is responsible for bow
ing of the legs near the ankles. KNOCK
knees develop from the same causes.
After learning that most cases of bow
legs begin In childhood one naturally asks:
We'll, why isn't the deformity corrected
in childhood, then?"
And the answer Is that there is a very
strong belief, not only among the laity, but
among physicians as well, that the child
will outgrow bowlegs. Which is not the
case, as surgeons know. Out OF two thou
sand adult males observed upon the streets
Of Boston surgical writer counted four
hundred cases OF bowlegs and thirty.two
cases OF knock.knee--about one adult male
In Ave. therefore, owns asymmetrical legs
and the ratio in children Is not greater.
SO bowlegs are not outgrown.
The Washington times., 1921-01-16

gut. The deformity was then over-cor-
rected-that is, the two pieces OF the frac-
tured bowleg were placed In such posi-
ton that the patient would appear to suf
fer from knock-knees. The legs we're then
encased in a plaster cast from the foot up
to the trochanters, or hip bones, and Miss
Gordon will have to stay In bed with this
encasing her for seven weeks,
In operating on the leg bones one would
think that II would be necessary to inter
the ends Of the fractures, as carpenter
would inter two pieces OF wood that were
to be joined But the natural growth OF
the bone-tissues takes care Of this for the
surgeon; and fortunately so, for otherwise
1t would be necessary to take out wedge
shaped piece OF bone, and this would
shorten the patients legs perceptbly.
Miss Gordon's new straight legs Will be
from onehalf to three-quarters of an inch
longer when they heal. The bones re.
main curved but the greatest eonvexity OF
the curves is interrupted to give a new
direction to the rest of the ellipse, and the
total effect, when the plaster cast mas peen
removed, is that of perfectly normal leg
In other words, although Miss Gordons
legs Will now be normally stralgnt outsiue'
inside OF them the bones Will still De
curved-or, rather, will follow succession
OF curves.
There was no pain to the operation 1t.
self, but there is just the same occasional
agony afterwards as would follow any
case Of broken legs. When the little lazy
who had taken such heroic means 10
straighten her limbs woke up she added
further details to those she had given the
surgeons when she went to them
I'm crazy about the stage. I'd gladly
have my neck broken II It nd do me any
good.
when I was a baby-that was all or
nineteen years agony family let me
tCl is7I. International Feature Service Inc
The Washington times., 1921-01-16
How the
i. Surgeons
Chiseled Holes
Almost
!. Through the
Bones and Then
Cracked What
Was Left, E
Just as You
Would Snap a
Candy Cane

to undertake to correct serious cases OF
bowlegs in adults. Legs are much moro
easily Strengthened during childhood, when
the bones are softer and more plant and
knit together more quickly than in after
years, when they become hard and brittle.
Before the age of four 1t is possible to cure
by means Of braces, after four the leg
bones must be broken and reset so that
nature can do her work over again.
There are two ways of breaking the
bones: by what the surgeons call osteo-
clasis and osteotomy. The first is accom-
pished by an instrument which looks like
clamp and forces wedge against the
desired spot on the leg with sufficient
pressure to break the bone clearly and
squarely. This method requires no cutting
of the flesh. The instrument used is called
an osteoclast and is commonly used on chill
dren. For adults, whose bones are more
apt to splinter under such pressure, osteo-
tony is preferred. This means cutting the
bone instead Of breaking it, and the opera
ton is done with sharp chisel called an
osteotome.
The bones are fractured, by whatever
method, at the point OF greatest deform-
ity In some cases the femur, or leg bone
above the knee, is deformed as we'll as the
tibia and fibula, or lower leg bones. When
such is the case 1t may be necessary to
make six fractures to straighten a pair Of
bow legs Infrequently the source of the
whole trouble lies in a faulty articulation
of the knee Joint, and one Of three distinct
fractures, each named after the surgeons
who invented them, may be used.
In Strengthening the curves of Miss Cor
dons legs It was necessary to effect only
four fractures, about eight inches each, be-
low the knee
1t was determined to take chance upon
the bone-breaking instrument. the osteo-
clast, and SO prevent any cutting Of the
flesh and danger of subsequent scarring.
But In the middle Of the operation, while
the patient was still under the anesthetic,
Il was evident that this method would pro-
duce splintering, and so the chisel was
substituted. Her legs, slightly bent, were
placed upon a rigid sand bag The bone
chisel was forced from the inner side of
the leg through skin and flesh until the
edge touched the outer surface of the
bone. The operator then began to tap
gently with a hammer upon its head, driy.
ing 1t clearly through the bone. It's prog
ress through the marrow was determined
by the lessened resistance against the maj
let blows. After passing through the mar
row It was driven into the outer bone until
1t was almost severed. slight pressure
by the hands Of the surgeon then COM
pleted the fracture, swapping the bone
like a candy cane and leaving a clean break
tho hnna with M sNf tb,
muscles and integuments upon the outer
side.
This operation was repeated four times
the tibia and hbula Of each OF Miss Cor.
don's legs being cut clean through
After the chisel was withdrawn a very
small wound remained This was covered
with pad Of dry gauze or closed with cat
The Washington times., 1921-01-16
Side View of Miss Gordon
Which Concealed Her
Misfortune.

n HISS RUTH GORDON, who plays the
/" "baby-talk lady in Booth Tarking.
%vA tons play Seventeen" has bow
legs When she went to the surgeons and
asked them to perform the necessary op.
GRAFTON to straighten her legs they refused.
because it is considered unprofessional for
reputable surgeon to perform an unneces.
sary operation.
"You should have had your deformity
corrected when you were child. At that
time 1t would have been a simple matter to
straighten your limbs" the surgeons said.
"But am I to be made to suffer for the
neglect of my parents while l was a child?"
Miss Gordon inquired.
"You are not suffering-your skirts con-
ceal your deformity. Nobody but your hus-
band need ever know that your legs are
not perfect. Medical science does not feel
justified in performing operations to crafty
personal vanity"
But it is not personal vanity-it is
matter of business, of great importance to
me in my profession" Miss Gordon argued.
"NTy legs may be as important to my career
as Caruso's voice is to his career"
@ '"But you have already arrived at the
height of your profession. You are the
leading woman in a successful play, and
4 thus you have demonstrated that profess
O sional success is not dependent upon your
legs"
sd I'm my part in the play you refer TO
: happen to be able to wear sufficiently long
skirts to conceal my deformity. And even
in this part it would be better II my bow
legs did not compel me to wear such long
skirts. Ny next stage opportunity may de-
mand that | wear short skirts. Then
what"
w. The surgeons pondered the situation for
o few minutes. Miss Gordon had certainly
given evidence that she was not appealing
to medical science entirely as matter OF
personal vanity. No throat specialist
would decline to assist Caruso's voice. no
.oculst would decline to assist in correct
ing the vision of anybody who needed It;
could surgical ethics justly refuse to assist
ID this young woman in correcting physical
misfortune which interfered with her am
billions and full professional successG
D.. IF you will be good enough to let us see
in just what way and Just how cruelty Ma
ture has mistreated you, we will consider
what, II anything, can be done to correct
your msshapen bones
AS a sleepy pair of eyes slowly opened
and Ruth Gordon began to come out from
the effects Of the ether in her room In the
Chicago Hospital she inquired family:
lis II all over? Will they be nice and
straight like Marilynn Miller's?"
Reaching her hand down under the bed.
clothes she found that each leg was solidly
encased in a plaster cast. 1t will, perhaps,
be two months before the broken bones
are so knitted together that Ruth Gordon
will be able to be up and about on clutches.
The matter Of bowlegs and other de.
formities of the lower extremites is an
extremely interesting one. 1t is unusual
The New York herald., 1921-12-30
Knockouts Galore at
B. R. 7. Boxing Carnival
Conductors and Motormen
Swap Punches In Bouts.

Fifteen hundred employees OF the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit. representing
every depot and repair shop in Brooklyn.
cheered their favorltes until the rafters
rang at the holiday boxing bouts of the
Employees BENEFIT Association, held in
the Railroad Mems building in East
New York last night.
Greetings hurtled back and forth as
motorman recognized his conductor and
the plumber of the repair shop saw his
assistant enter the building. 1t ap-
peared like the annual reunion of school
boys.
Men in service only were allowed to
compete, and so Tommy Sullivan. for
merly Of the Crosstown depot. was
stricken from the list.
SIX bouts were scheduled, four four
FOUNDERS and two of six rounds each,
but only the first two went the limit.
For the most part boxing skill was laid
aside and the contestants went at 1t
hammer and tongs.
In the final bout Of the evening Paddy
Mullarkey, motorman OF the Bergen
street line, knocked out Fred Wouters
Of the Frensh Pod depot in the early
part of the fourth round. Mullarkey
found an opening in the third round and
sent in heavy right which brought
Wouters down for the count of nine.
Wouters did not fully recover from
the blow and flattened out on the can
vas when his rival sneaked through a
right uppercut.
In the opening stanza Wouters af-
fected n ferocious glance which kept
Mullarkey at a distance. The weights
were Mullarkey 1856. wouters $50.
Jack Hammerick of the T'hirty-ninth
street shop, outlasted Johnny Luby OF
the Fifty-eighth street depot in n slug
fest which ended in the third round.
Hammerick hit the canvas In the first
round and Luby followed a second later.
Both men were knocked down four
times. A right swing finished Luby.
Bill Moran of F'latbush depot gave
away six pounds to Walter Plona OF the
building division, a handicap he could
not overcome. The bell saved Moran
as he was going through the ropes In
the second round. However, the body
punches we're too much for him and he
refused to answer the bell for the third
round.
Eddie Reiss OF the Eastern Division
Elevated scored a one round knockout
over Sammy Zwire. a fellow trainman.
Zwire covered his face with both hands
In an effort TO ward off the punches of
Reiss, with the result that a crashing
right to the stomach sent him down and
out.
Jimmy Reese the Halsey street
depot and Willie Stevens of the Bergen
street line were awarded judges dec-
sions over Mickey Harrington OF Ninth
avenue and Joe Wagner Of Fresh Pond.
respectively.
The New York herald., 1921-12-30
New Orleans Entries.

First Race-Purse 5000: for maiden two
year-olds: five furlongs: Leander. lis: Mary
Maxim ~ Bs,nfn lE n ncrs sr1fter lis
stall, 112: Miracle Man. 113: Vanity Dresser.
112; Hillsdale. 115; Sun Time, 1l5; Louis
Lichtenheim, 115.
three -yesr-olds and upward six furlongs:
George Il. III, 10; Rip Collins, io7 Roscoe
Terrible Miss, io5; Cockroaeh. ,; Iis; Search
104: 'Runmic. 107; Grace King. 104. Hero
ism. ito; Screw Sanders. 10; 'Dshinda.
1o2: 'Philanderer. iC2: Our Kate. 100.
three-year-oids and upward. six furlongs
.Midnight Sun, lis; sSatana. 1Os; Bengore.
l1s: saint Isidore, 11o; Donald j.. 100;
a'IGlii .PalH Bri O ios .RIySi:.. iio .Gri%akln.
1o5: Propaganda. ITO: The Nephew. fi5:
Mark West. ios; BurNyne. 1is; oraissso.
iiS; Fourth h'rdn Race@pur,o I s7oo; claiming: for
three-year-oids; milo and seventy yards
.May Bodine, 107: sGorilla. 10s; 'The Moor.
1903: Pansy. OF Perhaps, los; 'Rollo; i03
100; 'Old Faithful. 1903.
Fifth Race-Purse 81 900; handicap for two
year-olds; mile: Honorable. i03; Grace Fos-
ter, i0e; Ashland. 1o6; Marsdale, 105; Ballot
Mark, 110; Commander McMeekin, log.
Sixth Race-Purse, 500; claiming handi-
cap: for three-year-olds and up; mile and
First Puilet. io2; scourgcman, 100; Biddle-
dee. 1o2; tRaider. 1l2; Cote dor. 1os.
tRiverdale Stable entry.
Seventh Race-Purse 500; claiming: for
ssSsa00 siateeStSs Attorney tho Muir. io4 a0 Lady
Longfellow. 1o7; 'Baily Bell. 107: Sammy
Jay, 100; 'Flypaper, l0f; Car. I12; Pirate
MeGse 1l2 ,d p g. Klns il2 GsliCt os'
1i2; sLucy Kate, %; sCaptain Burns, io4.
Apprentice allowance claimed.
The New York herald., 1921-12-30
OFFICIALS.

eossHss officials who
Wn "a sr % xs m tn os9s n we
players accept ruling promptly
that are
H
% 5 @s s any @ G5 na se
% which have ee that honest "n tho to hass @ y
s
studied his
number and coaches that it pleasure work
think
ss that there is considerable food for thought
They said there with as N @
his stomach He a his head
body always adds the straw
paciy and then asked to little more
THEY KNOW
Hezde calls nser great football and baseball player As far foot
then S the % s @ n have habit of over the edge and
Jim s ss n
at work within few weeks
history
haven't scted
look at from window and to
a looking
making
probably will
o
been
Of into the picture
o him a
that
The New York herald., 1921-12-30
GIANTS RELEASE A
VETERAN SOUTHPAV
Slim Sallee Dropped to Make
Room for Young
Pitcher.

Slim Sallee, veteran southpaw OF the
Giants. was given his unconditional rec
lease yesterday by the New York club.
The Giants had hoped to send him to
Indianapolis in connection with the deal
Tor SINNERS, outfielder. but as Salles
has seen more than ten years service
in the majors, he had the right to an un.
conditional release, and it was granted.
Slim may yet land with the Indianapolis
club but will have the privilege Of max.
ing his own bargain with the American
Association club
In his eventful career In the majors
which began in 1908 with the ST. Louis
Cardinals, Sallee has been member of
three world series teams. He was with
the Giants in 1917 when the New York
club won the pennant, with the Reds
when the Cincinnati team won the much
discussed world series from the White
Sex in 1919, and with the Giants again
last season.
1t will be remembered that the Reds
gave Sallee his unconditional release in
1920. McGraw signed him to contract
Immediately. believing that the veteran
was still good for season or two In
fast company, and Slim, everything con-
sidered, did very well in the box from
the time he joined the Giants on Labor
Day, 1920, until the close of the season
of 1921. He did not start many games.
however, being used chiefly as a relief
pitcher.
The relief of the veteran at this time
is not due to any failure on his part to
come up to McGraw's expectations. but
to the fact that the Giants are to be
overburdened with young pitchers next
season. many Of whom give decided
promise. and some changes in the pers
sonnel Of the team had to be made.
The New York herald., 1921-12-30
Havana Results.

First tRace-Two-year-olds; claiming: purse
800; five and half furlongs. Bounce. 100
RO9inson} ,s;, to l. to and to fTst
to 10. second Mad Nell. 112 (Boyle). 4 to 5,
TO and ! 10 g. third. Time, :0S 3-5.
Don Manuel. Athgarven. San stefano. Emma
w. and Last Girl also ran.
claiming purse 800; five and half fur
longs. Hoover, 1l2 (McCorkle). 6 to 1. @
to 2 and to 8. first; Jill. 100 (Morrissey),
z TO 1, 5 to 2 and to 8, second; Lyric.
,o2 Mehsushin) to to and even
Mayesvile. Red, Bacchanalian. Moilnero.
Litholik and Bibbler also ran.
Third Race-Three-year-olds and upward;
claimlng purse $700; six furlongs. Approval,
Ruddles. es CMcLaughlin). 8 TO 2. even and
to 2. second: Judge Budrow, 105 (Penman).
TO 2, to and to ., third. Time,
:13 1-5. Sugarmint Timothy j. Hogan.
Fourth Race-Three-year-olds and upward;
claiming: purse 300; one mile and fifty
yards. Win All, es (Peric). to 2, 4 to 8
and 70 g. first; Harry Glover. 100 (Schef-
Sick H., ioa tAiienS, il to /. to i and
20 :, third. Time. ! "A As. Aigrette. Don
Thrush and Bill Hunley also ran.
Fifth Rsce-Three-year-olds and upward:
claiming; purse 800; one and one-sixteenth
miles DR. 3o shstfer i9e MaSen danS to
Kennedy. even, to 3 and out, second;
Black Thong, 1o5 (Chalmers), 8 TO 5. / to 2
and out, third. Time. I :47 1-5. Harry M.
Stevens and Tokalon March also ran.
purse 5000: one and one-sixteenth miles. Sea
Prince, 104 (Burns), @ to I. to I and
even, first; Frank W., 109 (Penman). to ],
4 to and / TO 3. second: Inquiry. 101 CMc-
Time, i; 40 is. BETTY j.. Fair Orient and
Melvin also ran.
The New York herald., 1921-12-30
J. 5. Myrick Renominated
as National Tennis Head
Dwight F. Davis Named for
Vice-Presidency.

Julian s. Myricl1 of this city, president
of the United States Lawn Tennis Asso-
ciation. heads the list of candidates for
the season of 1922, announced yester-
day by the nominating committee of
which Walter T. Hayes of Chicago Is
chairman. For vice-president Dwight
F. Davis OF st. Louis is the regular
nominee to succeed Edwin f. Torrey
Charles F. Garland of Pittsburgh Is re-
nominated for the position of secretary
and Abner Y. Leech, Jr., of Washington,
d. c., is named for treasurer TO take the
place Of Joseph NJ. Jennings of Philadel-
phia.
Delegates at large TO serve two years
are r. Clifford Black of New York.
Harry s. Knox of Chicago. Henry G..
Wick. Jr., of Cleveland, Ohio. Sectional
delegates are recommended by their
various sectional associations, where
such bodies have been formed, and in
those cases their election by the sectional
organization Is merely confirmed by the
national association.
The sectional nominees are: South
western Section. j. b. Adoue. Jr.. Dallas,
Tex. Northwestern Section, Ward c.
Burton, Minneapolis, Mimi; New Eng
land Section, Edwin Sheafe. Boston.
Mass. New York Section. Louis b.
Daley New York. n. Y: Missouri VAL
ley Section, c. Drummond Jones' st.
Louis. Mo. California Section, Or. Sum-
ner Hardy. San Francisco Middle At
lantic Section. Nathan II. Bundy, Nor
folk. Va. (serving until 1929.
Besides Mr.. Hayes the nominating
committee included Clinton l.. Childs of
Pittsburgh and Holcombe Ward Of New
York For weeks they have been In
touch with tennis organizations through
out the country and have proposed their
ticket In the belief that It will command
widespread approval and support. The
committee proceeded on the theory that
the national association should not be
governed by tradition or force of habit.
but should be free to summon the active
interest and assistance OF new figures
that have grown up In the tennis world.
Consequently they have proposed several
new names, although most of the officers
and delegates arc experienced in the as
sociations affairs.
The New York herald., 1921-12-30
New Jersey Legislators
Suggest Boxing Changes

A TLANTIC CITY, N. J.. Dec
~ 29.--New Jersey legislators
have. considered seriously the
advisability OF seeking a repeal of
the boxing law. This was disclosed
by statement issued to-day on be-
half of a Republican conference COM
mittee composed Of five State Sem
ators and Ave members Of the As
sembly. They were Senators Mackay.
President of the Senate; White, AL
len and Wallworth, and Assembly
men Rowland, Evans. Pierson. Ho-
bart and Guthrie.
THE conference" said the state
ment in part. considered the ad-
visibility of a repeal OF the State
boxing law, but decided to recon-
mend that maximum entrance fee
be fixed by law; that the granting
of permits for any boxing exhibition
be made mandatory at least fifteen
days before the exhibition and that
the referees appointed by commits
sion be citizens. residents Of the State
and licensed"
The New York herald., 1921-12-30
Scheduled Boxing Bouts
TONIGHT.

Madison Square Garden-Johnny Dundee
vs.. Willie jackson, Is rounds; Harry
London w. Willie Spencer, 3 rounds;
John Reisler VS.. Willie k0hler. =
rounds; Kid Norfolk VS.. jamaica Kid.
rounds.
SATURDAY NIGHT.
Commonwealth 8. C.-Frankie jerome vs..
Jack Hnusner, 12 rounds; Red Munroe
VS.. Irving Jampole. 12 rounds.
Ninth Regiment Armorya-Petey Hayes VS..
Soldier Stanley, 12 rounds; Midget
Sully vs.. Jimmy McDonough, IL rounds.
Fifteenth Regiment Armory-Harry Rob-
inson vs.. Joe Lewis, 12 rounds; Jim
Green VS.. Al kid Gibbons, 10 rounds.
Forty seventh Regiment Armory-K. o.
Joe DAILY vs.. Jackie Moore; Joe Click
VS.. Mike Dundee; Ike Booker vs.. Harry
Lamar, 10 rounds each.
The New York herald., 1921-12-30
Jack johnson. Actor.

Arrangements have been made where
by Jack Johnson. the former heavy
weight champion, will appear Mt the
Manhattan Opera House at every per-
formance Of I'm Old Kentucky during
next week. beginning January Q. John
son will have the part OF the trainer OF
'rueen Bess. the horse that wins the
en- in the race course scene. Johnson
Ihip. appear in the levse scene during
n performance {, Uncle Toms
ng p~-morrow night