South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1835-02-28
Sargent Joel Downing.
EXCELLENT.

EACELLEN l..
u Every reader will at once see the
alluson to the French question, in the
following account of
A SKATING MATCH.
Sargent Joel Downing writes to his
cousin Jack, the following amusing &C.
count of skating frolic on the Poto-
mac, between himself and the Presi-
dent
Dear Jack-The Potomac has been
all froze over and most capital skating,
equal to what we used to have on the
pond in Downingville. When l see
the ice look so slick and glairy it SEEM
ed as if couldn't keep my feet off it.
One night after Mr.. Blair g. MIR. Ken
dali had been in talking with the Gin
eraI pretty late in the evening, abeut
having scratch long with France, and
after they had gone out, stood look
Jog out down towards the Potomac,
and the moon was shining almost as
bright as day light on the ice, and it
made me think so much Of the good
times we used to have on the old pond
in Downingvile, that had to take out
my handkerchief and wipe my eyes.
| And the Gineral see me, and he come
along and slap, me on the shoulder,
and says he Sargent Joel, my dear fell
low, what's the matter ? Are you a.
fraid Of this ere brush we're going to
have with France 7 Never mind q
word about it, we shall whip IN as easy
as whipt the British at New Orleans.
But come, says he, wipe up, you needn't
fight single blow if you're afraid.
Says l, Gineral, who's afraid , Iaint.
| wouldn't valley fighting the whole
French nation, if | could only 60 and
have good skate down there on the
river for about an hour. At that the
Gineral hopt up and eatched hold Of
my hand and gin it real shaking, and
says he, give me you yet, Sargent Joel,
you're good sPunk as ever you're eou-
sin, the Major was. Now, says he,
Joel, I'll tell you what 'tis, l bav'nt
had q pair of skates on these twenty
years, but If you'll run down to one Of
the shops, (here's the money! and buy
a couple of pair, we'll 60 and give our
legs stretching. Agreed, says l, Gin
ersI, though | think it would be use-
less job to be stretching yourn any
more ; for they're more than twice as
long as mine now. Well, off | went
and bough. couple Of pair Of Incomplete
Holland skates, and we rigged up, and
put on our great coats, and hats, and
mittens, and the Gineral took couple
of bottles of good wine with him, for
he said he would have something with
US to keep US comfor.able-and l took
hand.sled, for l told him | always
took hand.sled when l was skating,
and it was good fun to take turns haul
ing each other on the sled, and then
we went down to the river.
l. was just cold enough to keep US
knocking about quick step so as to
keep warm, and we on skates, and off
we went down the river like streak
of chalk.-It was SO long since the
Gineral had skated any, tina. could
outrun him at first as easy as could be,
but after he got his hand in a little--l
don't mean exactly his hands neither
but after he got his feet in little, so he
began TO get thawing out, he made his
long legs stretch off like racehorse,
| couldn't keep any where near him.
He'd play around ma and cross back
wards and forwards like young colt.
We logged along down the river a
few miles where we found a capital
smooth place, and we left our sled by
the shore with the bottles of wine on it,
and went to skating across. The Gin
eral said he could skate across and
back again twice while could once.
So while we were skimning about in
this way, there was about half dozen
great long legged two listed chaps come
skating up the river from Alexandria.
They come up on that side OF the river
where our sled was, and before we
could get back they had guzzled down
every drop Of our wine, and were
scooling about as lawless as if they
didn't cars for nobody. The Gneral
was awful mad, and says he, Sargent
Joel, l won't put up with that. Pm
determined / never will submit to any
thing that is wrong and if them fell
lers don't pay over pretty we'll for that
wine I'll make reprisals upon 'em.
Says /, Gineral, l don't know about
that; there's six to two of US, and they
are real slab.sidsd, hard.fsted fellers