Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 160, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 July 1910 — For The Childern [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

For The Childern

Walkln* on Can*.

No longer does the roller skate, diabdo, toy auto or other modem device attract the children of a certain cdty. They’re all cast aside for a more novel diversion—that of walking on tin cans. The lowly baked bean can is best. Two holes are punched In the top, through which a heavy cord is doubled. The feet of the can canterer are placed between the cords, which are tied together and held in each hand. Undrenlng In tbe Water. If you ever fall overboard, the first thing you will have to do is to keep afloat; the next, to do so with the least effort. To this end, encumbering clothes must be taken off as quickly as possible. Although undressing in the water is not hard, it does require confidence. Now confidence can come only with experience, and experience only from practice. Then practice. Your mother will surely provide you with the necessary old clothes, if you explain what you wish to do.

The first step in the real, practical “handling” of yourself In the water, after you know how to swim, is to learn to go under the surface, head and all. In any position, without minding the water in your nose, ears and eyes. Practice this when bathing—float face down under water, on your back under water, sitting down under water, even standing on your hands under water! Have your lungs neither full nor empty, hut with all their many air-cham-bers distended with several previous long, deep breaths. When you om stay under the surface half a minute In any position without fear or discomfort, the hardest part of the lesson Has been learned.

This accomplished, go some day fully dressed In trousers, shirt, coat, shoes and stockings, hut with your bathingsuit on in place of the ÜBual underwear, out in a boat or to the end of a wharf where it is not deep, and fall overboard! You will find you oan still swim, but not freely. The coat Is the worst restriction, so that comes off first. Throw yourself on your back, floating, and “paddle” with your feet! Just hard enough to provide headway and keep your head out of water. Rest a moment, breathing deeply. Then, lungs neither full nor empty, close your mouth, hold your breath, throw your coat back as you usually do to remove it. ana reach mwfer «nH w; hind the body with both hands, grasping the end of the sleeve on the opposite arm. The maneuver will sorely puH your head under water, but do not resist this tendency; let your head go under water. Pull gently on the coat-sleeve and it will come oft, and up you come to breathe. In an emergency you would drop the clothes where you took them off; In practice see that they are rescued for further til ala Turn on your face, as if swimming

the breast stroke; theft, not forgetting the preliminary long breaths, under you go! You draw one foot up until you can reach it easily with the left hand, find with the right you get the end of the lace. Do not jerk the lace, even If you have tied it with care, so that a. jerk will serve to undo it; when you really do fall overboard your shoestring will have received no such at tention. Pull dt carefully, and If you have anjr difficulty, open, your eye* under water and examine it.

Having managed one shoe this way, try the other with a penknife. Lie on your back or “tread water” until you can get the knife out of ycuft pocket and open it and feel for the knot a* before, while lying on your face, on« foot in your hand. Get the open blade under the knot and pull; do not cut from the outside Inwardly, for there it no need to risk cutting your foot Taking trousers oft Is a luxury. AD you have to do is unbutton them and kick! The shirt, Mghtest of all, is last, and can simply be torn off, although in practice patient unbuttoning and “peeling” will save your mother much sewing of buttons for further trials. It Is worth while to practice this daily until you can do it all in a short time. Try it with other boys, and race to see who gets undressed first Nat urally, try it in water shallow enough to be safe In case you cannot manage It. Your father and -mother will welcome the practice; very possibly your father will like to hold the watch foi your undressing contests. —Youth’* Companion.

TIN CAN WALKER.