Cham i = : Hersbara- g.. Cortéesé By ELMO SCOTT WATSON ILL the decade of 1020- 30 be written down by the historians of the future as the “mar- athon era” in Amer ican history? It may very well be, if some one ever takes the T trouble to count up all the endurance contests and races for freak championships which have taken place during the last ten years and which, if a visitor from Mars were to judge by the interest shown and the amount of newspaper space devoted to them, he might regard as typically American, if not actually deserving to be listed among our major activities, Perhaps the “marathon era” should include the years from 1010 to 1920 also, for it was In 1910 that Sallie Rope, a negress of Kansas City, Mo., decided to set a new gastronomic ree- ord. So she stowed away some 1.551 items of hardware, Including 453 nails, 42 serews, 9 bolts, 5 spoons, 5 thim. bles, 63 buttons, 105 safety pins, 115 hairpins, 136 common pins, 52 carpet tacks, 57 needles, 85 pebbles, a four- foot string of beads and a nall file. Of course, it killed her, but she had proved that the “so-called human race” could compete successfully with ostriches and goats for variety in Its menu when it chose, It was not until after 1020, however, that the “marathoners” struck the'r stride. On November 23, 1023, Joha Hinsin of New York City won over Val Menges in a “hot dog” contest by consuming 53. On November 24 of that year Dan Henderson of Jones- boro, Ga., completed 69 hours of steady chewing on a quid of tobacco. On De- cember 6, 1025, C. 8. Carter of Groton, 8. 'D., ate 51 flapjacks, but lost the “ehampionship” the next day to W. P. G. Meyers, who ate 43 but his flap Jacks measured two inches more In diameter, Commendable as were these enter. prises, it remalned for Miss Alma Cummings, a dance instructor In New York City, to start an endurance con- test which was destined to become the latest craze and to sweep the coun try. Some time in 1023 she noticed an item in the papers about a Frenchman dancing continuously for 17 hours. She decided that Americans could do better than that and to prove it she danced for 27 hours. And that started it! Within a week she had to dance for 50 hours to hold her title and three days later her record was brok- \t/7%f ? Gory Chewing Champion 1. A sweeping contest, held in Los Angeles, Calif, to determine who should be crowned “Queen of Sweep. ers” 2. A fourteen.year.old entry in a Maryland flag pole sitting contest. a @ gt en. Other dancers In other cities took up the fad and “On with the dance !™ became the watchword of the hour. From 50 hours the record went to 09, then to 73, then to 80, 90 and 100. Out In California Viela Pompey and Her ace Dunn started at Los Angeles and danced eight miles down the highway to Ocean Park. They kept up their dancing for 140 hours. And then, of course, there's flag pole sitting. A good way to rest up after a dance marathon Is to limb ap on a flag pole and just sit. And flag pole sitting was a close second te dancing in endurance pepularity. in 1927 “Shipwreck” Kelly, a sailor, went aloft on a 40 foot pole In New- ark, N. J, and stayed there for 12 days. Not to be outdone by this ex- hibition of civie supremacy, ether cities staged similar contests and many of the burghers of those thuniel. paities got permanent ericks in their necks from permanent flag pole sitters, If 1920 is never famous for any- thing else, it will be famous for some new anil unusaal “champlonships.” Consider, for lostance, Bill Williams of Hondo, Texas, who rolled a peanut with his nose over the 22 mile route to the summit of Pikes Peak. It took him 30 days to do it and he got $500, plus a large amount of newspaper publie- ity. Inspired by his example LL. R. Rose of Rule, Texas, started from Galveston to knock a croquet ball all the way to New York and H. P. Wil Hams started rolling a little iron hoop for the same destination, The so-called weaker sex Is not far behind the other In their bids for fame. Last summer any number of cities held rolling pin throwing con- tests and husband calling contests in which housewives showed both their strength of arm and voice. And Cham. paign, IIL, Is the home of Mrs, HH. B. Schmidt who claims the world's cham. SHRrrIs dx Bwrs plonship for rocking, she having spent 401 hours in a rocking chair swaying back and forth. Yes, everybody's doling It, Including the children. Last summer, the previ ously mentioned “Shipwreck” Kelly gave a Z34day exhibition In Baltimore The result was a pole sitting epidemic among the children of that city. Avor W. Foreman started it by staying or top a 17 foot pole for 10 days, hours, 10 minutes and 10 seconds When he descended he was praised by the mayor of Baltimore for “the old pioneer spirit” and acclaimed “world’s champion fifteen-year-old flagpole sitter.” His record was brok en by twelveyearold Willie Went worth, however, who stayed up nearly a month, breaking even “Shipwreck's’ record, By starting young perhaps some one will break the record which has stood for 1.478 years. It was made by Sim eon Stylites, the Syrian shepherd bos whe became a monk and who, to prove his devotion to Christianity In the days when martyrdom was popular mounted to the top of a nine foot col smn, chained himself there and oe cupled his time in prayer. He stayed there 30 years? Yes, the children are showing them selves worthy sons and daughters of their fathers in this matter of think ing up new feats in which to vie for the “championship.” But they wil have to be original Indeed to matel the merchants of Belle Plaine, lowa who thought that a contest to decide who had the most flea-bitten dog ir four counties would be a good attrac tion for their annual fall festival. They offered a prize of $100 and it was wot by James Parks of Belle Plaine. The Judges counted 113 fleas on his dog (Author's Note: The list of “cham plonships”™ In this article does not pre tend to be a complete one and some of the “records” in some events may have been broken since the article was written. But does It matter?) The Poor Indian own in the neighborhood of Poca- tello, Idaho, the Fort Hall Indians are showing how primitive and pagan our aborigines can be even after the Unit. ed States government has done its best to civilize and educate them. They are holding a three-day sun dance. With only short rest periods, and with nothing much to eat and drink, these benighted savages are posturing and gyrating for the glory of their tribe. All this takes place In the sagebrush, and the Indians, we blush to say, wear hardly any clothes, Now, lot us moralize a bit. If these poor Indians were civilized whites in a large American city, what would they do? Probably they would be very up to date and enter a marathon dancing contest in a hall, They would dance continuously with only brief rest periods and with nothing much to eat or drink, Only, of course, being ely. lized, they would not stop at the end of three days. They would try to make it three weeks and thereby set a rec ord and get a week's engagement in a cheap vaudeville house, While doing this, for a ent of the gate receipts they would, we blush to say, wea hardly any clothes, No wonder, they keép Indians on reservations. They are really pagans at heart.—Spokane (Wash.) Spokes man-Review, ly. , The year 1028 was the second larg est in the history of foreign financing in the United States. HOR Ce Cs Ose RCA LR ALAS | PRESENTS THAT | CAN BE GIVEN AT CHRISTMAS TIME SAZYAS PASS ALA “ALY SAAN “ll voy AZ SATS 0000 400 400020 00 ele lielis elie liel | arse WAS RVR i Art in Basketry | i A basket for every need Is evidently | the slogan adopted in modern Christ. Art in basketry is the high spots this gorgeous raffia basket | bears witness, The as the the picture i painted. "T'would indeed be 8 | | | srs “Step-Up” If You Please 1 wit "td You know he to got something off the of reach, Well, it that annoygnee, onreelfl to try ton shelf lust won't happen | gain, provid te recipient this h as most of the Tiny stool These econ shops are showing, hildren, too venient contrivances come In all enlors to match the other boudoir furnish ings, New Cushion Themes Rm OE "i \ /TANY agirl would give up in despair when she found herself snubbed in school and unpopular in col- lege, but not so Mrs. Norma Kussel Jones of 1567 Cramer Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “When I was seventeen I went away to college,” gays Mrs. Jones, “Freda, my room-mate, was a very popular girl. Soon she asked to have [ appearance, and everything looked brighter, ‘What have you been doing to yoursell?” asked my room-mate. “You are a different girl.’ The days and years that followed were filled with every activity and not long ago Freda was maid of honor at my wed- ding. That's what Nujol did for me!” Such a simple way to health and happiness! Your doctor will tell you that Nujol contains no medicines or drugs—it is simply bodily lubrica~ her room changed, It seems I kept her awake at night, I slept so restlessly. No one knows how 1 suffered. “One day one of my teachers found me sobbing. ‘Why’, she i ‘sometimes slug gish circulation causes restless sleep, Why don't you try Nujol?’ “In two weeks Nujol had begun clearing out the tion—harmless, normal, and it works easily 80 you will be regular as work. You can ge abottlein a se Package at any drug store for what you would pay for two or three sodas, Get a bottle today and try it. If you are like most other people Nujol will make you brighter, happier, more able to succeed. Don’t put off good health! Star clock- poisons in my body, my skin had a clear healthy being well this easy way, this Wife I'd take : Husband-— That's i If you ever got tired of me, | poison ! i indy to know. We can never be sure just what makes an infant restless, but the remedy can always be the same, Good old Castoria! There's com- fort in every drop of this pure vegetable preparation, and not the slightest harm in its frequent use As often as Baby has a fretful spell, is feverish, or cries and can't sleep, let Castoria soothe and quiet him, Sometimes it’s a touch of colic. Sometimes constipation. Or diarrhea——a condition that should always be checked without delay. Just keep Cgstoria handy, and give it promptly. Relief will follow Tide and Untied The young man und young woman of hus weupying the rear seat the Indianapolis Oblivious to the figure In corner they When the driver switched slovching the chatted on. were aitracted to the appearance of the moon, “Oh. look, what a perfectly beautiful “Yes, isn't IY" her companion “And, by the way, they say In regard to the Christmas gift! problem there's this in favor of sofa | cushions, no matter how many one | may possess “there's always room for | one more” To women skilled in fine | needlecraft the pillow of ehenilie-em- broidered velvet Ix proving a new In gpiration. Something “different” too, is the black felt cushion top done in cut-out design, and posed over white or colorful satin, Bs— Carries Sweet Odor Banta Claus likes to carry these ornamental bags wherever he goes, for the sweet odor of their contents | (garden lavender) scents up his en tire pack. They are made of coarse colorful nefting with frills at the tor and handpainted embroidery hoop hendles. Gift shops report them as among thelr most popular numbers They measure from nine to twelve Inches serosa, The figure in the corner stirred un- easily. “And also the untied” Ht growled. — Indianapolis News, Firm as to That “As a hobo, I suppose tell some queer stories.” “Yeh, but I aint gonna collaborate ye,” declared the wayfarer, edging off. you could Your friends are not perfect, of course, If they were they might not like you. very day. Happiness Happs pry are they who look Boggs Yes, and overlook ufier. ERE Lar aaah ty RCL ari | Eee very promptly; if it doesn’t, you should call a physician. All through babvhood, Castoria should be a mother’s standby; and a wise mother does not change to stronger medicines zs the child grows older. Castoria is readily obtained at any drugstore, and the genuine easily identified by the Chas. H. Fletcher signature that appears on every wrapper. Largest “Rabbit Farm” Hillcrest rabbitry, at Ala Calif, the largest in the This farm contains 80 acres, with 26 rabbit sheds, each hous- ing 2.500 rabbits These sheds are long hy 20 feet wide. The Loma, is feet as Wright's Indian Vegetable Pills contain only vegetable Ingredients which act as a gentle purgative, 26c a box, 372 Pearl St, N.Y. Adv. Doesn't Sound True Life is full of pleasant surprises. Just when you think your luck has vanished forever, you put a cent In a slot machine and get two pleces of gum, ~Farm and Fireside, Getting Behind Some people get ahead, and some cannot resist the temptation to buy a thing that is only one dollar down. Rutland Herald, It takes infinite patience to rear a child; and there seems to be an abundance of #.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers