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Show - i v THE SKATING FAD Society's pet craze this winter is skating. Last season n good many dancing lloors began to bo converted Into idler rinks. This year In many northern cities Ice skating is drawing draw-ing tho crowds that but recently paid down bo much good money to learn the transient art of tangoing. It is somewhat difficult for tho philosophical phi-losophical observer to account for tho fascination found in making somo hundreds of rounds about tho narrow hall containing a roller or lco rink. Probably a mere barbaric physical longing for speed Is a largo sharo of It. You find that trait In all cold countries, where boys from tlmo Immemorial Im-memorial havo risked their necks on sledi, double rippers, toboggans and sklls. Tliu scorching motorist is a unl ursal Illustration of this lovo for wlft motion. He Is blind to the glories of the scenery. Tho human types that ho meets do not Interest him, only tho story of his speedometer speedomet-er nnd tho condition of tho roads. Perhaps tho skater has n related feo'-lng. feo'-lng. No doubt skates of any kind do glvo a senso of obstacles removed, remov-ed, of weight of tho body released ot easy motion, that produces physical elation. Many athletic young pcoplo dovote tlmo nnd effort to tho elnboratlon of all kinds of skillful stunts on Bkates which must glvo tho pleasure that coes with nny form or bodily skill. Their fenta of balanco on their slippery slip-pery and uncertain footing of either rollers or Ice, are as marvelous as tho acts of any tight ropo wnlkcr. Tho freedom of tho motion makes possible tho most flowing grnco. Whether tho skating crazo con last as long ns tho dancing fad did la a question. It will always appeal to sentlmentnl young folks anxious for an excuse for each other's society. soci-ety. It must Iks less responsive than dancing to tho seductions of rhythmical rhyth-mical motion nnd musical feeling. In tho Ice Bkotlng districts thero nro rnro times when lawyers, doctors, ministers, and business men acquire tho fad. Rut In tho long run It Is a kid sport, tho Joys of which, In tho boy mind, seem to bo enhanced by tho possibilities of n cold wotting. |