Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-03-11

sOlVed the PROBLEM Oh grow"
ing old gracefully. for he Is
meeting Father Time on roller skates.
Visit the Y. M. c. A. gymnasium any
week day afternoon. and you will md
this skater cutting educated capers"
on his wheeled skates.
Mr.. Laidlaw Is preparing for hnal
swing around the Keith vaudeville
circuit, where he formerly ranked a. a
champion performer. He is rehearsing
one OF the most daring skating acts
ever attempted. for he plans to per-
| form on the top Of q grand piano. For
young man, this would be precarious.
| and for even q skilled skater like Laid
law 1t is extremely spectacular.
The story Of Mr.. Laidlaw's skating
is remarkable, In that he had passed
| his fifty-sixth milestone before he flrst
made professional use Of his skill on
| rollers.
This is but another OF those cases
where fate's shufie deals out some
amazing assignments. For Walter
Laidlaw's exhibition skating was At an
age when most men have retired TO
the comfortable seclusion OF cushioned
chairs.
Like the majority of American lads.
In his boyhood days, at Fort Wayne,
Ind, ne mastered the knack OF ice
skating during his knee-pants period.
But Walter was different from his
young companions In that he took TO
skating like ham TO a sandwich. The
old-timers called the boy born
skater" And. as long rs he stuck TO
the steel runners there wasn't man
or boy In the HOosier State who could
surpass young Laidlaw on the Ice.
II was not until he was 20 that
Walter FIRST tried roller skating. BY
practice, he soon acquired a mastery
Of the roller skates. which made him
an attraction as an exhibition feature
at all the Kinks where he skated.
Mr. Laidlaw entered the slate roof
Ing business on the ground floor and
worked his way upward. In the course
OF time, he became the star salesman
OF the company which he represented.
His selling territory covered IL Middle
Western and Eastern States. Laidiaw
not only sold slate roofing. but he also
s,pefintended construction jobs In
large cities. He was exposed 10 all
kinds Of weather and. like many others
who work outdoors. he eventually con-
uacted severe case OF rheumatism.
Az the half-century mark, Mr.. Laid
law was so crippled that he could
barely hobble around. lie had 10
abandon his business affairs. Neither
medicine nor massage benefited the
sufferer. II looked rs though he was
destined 10 become a chronic invalid.
One day, while he was out for n short
stroll with his daughter. the pair STOP
ped for a minute In front Of a roller
skating rink, CHANGING 10 look up nj
the sign above the door, Mr.. Laidlaw
said: 1t Ii 70 years aimee ! skated, and
] guess III never put on the rOilers
again, but let's go inside for a few
minutes and watch the skaters"
Seated al the border OF the rink
father and daughter watched the skat-
eFs circle the rink. The rink owner,
passing that way. CHANGED 10 notice
the keen interest that the man showed
IN the skating.
probably skated yourself when
younger" he said. ~ he sat down he-
, side MIR Laidlaw.
Yes" responded the slate salesman
, skating was my fayorite sport about
"a years ago. hut ] guess I've d0nnsd
the skates for the laAt time. I'm all
crippled up with rheumatism, u has
conferred In my knees and can scarcely
walk"
why don't you try IN skate the sehst
ana psins sway7" asked The rink pro-
prletof, You would bs surprised at tn