The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-01-29

nii. wen, II as 80 with great many things In
hours of the day succeeding BAH, Won are rs
ging the sled up the hill when you have spente >
fortune, and have to work for your bread, thar
you are pulling the sled up the hill when by in
dis retions and indulgence you are laid on a bed
OF sickness, then you are pulling the sled up the
hill And so of many other things. The coaster
starts from the top Of the bill with his smoothly
shod cutter. AZ first the motion lie but Glow and
labored the momentum increases, the blood tin
speed by digging in his HEELS and as he approach
es the foot Of the hill the speed is the greatest and
ne 10 carried long way by the acquired force.
Then comes the dragging up of the sled. He
starts OIL on the run, shouting to his feilows; he
soon begins to tire, and he walks slower the last
part Of the journey is fatguing, and when be gets
to the top he is ready to lay himself down and
rest. Exactly go it is with life. The Growing in.
fant IN its mothers arms is fully furnished with
all the resources for vigorous lfe but the springs
DO not start at once into action with the in
crease OF years comes the greater momentum
At twenty he is half way down the hill, and just
begins to enjoy the pleasure of existence at thir
ty he is in the full vigor of manhood, and conse
quently has reached nearly the foot of the hill !;
and from that time to forty-fve he is carried by
the momentum acquired, continually decreasing
And then comes dragging the sled up the hill. He
feels not at once the fatigue, but he ascends the
rosts OF age chill his blood and he reaches the top
longing for another and better world. Such is
the coasters vOyage Of life.
But / have been led to this moralizing while
standing on the steps of house at the head OF
State street, watching the sport of coasting as in
dutged in by hundreds of men and women, and
boys and girls, who thus supply themselves with a
cheap and rational amusement. You must know,
Mr.. Editor, we have had but little sleighing this
winter, the snow in this vicinity being confined to
few of the principal streets. The lack of sleigh
ing has been fully made up in coasting. State
street, Pearl street, Elm street, and many others
have been filed on each Of these bright moonlight
evenings with hundreds of merry, laughing coast
ers. Indeed, coasting is perfect mania The
streets have been entirely surrendered to the devo
tees of pleasure. The women have asserted and
maintained their "rights;' and, singular as it may
seem, those who are the most lang uishing in bail
room, the most nervous and nerueless the greatest
sufferers from ennui, are those who enter with the
most zes into the sports of the hill Instead of par.
ties, gatherings on the corner of a street are an
nounced. Mrs. II. and her husband and children
will slide down hill, in sch street, on such an
evening. and the word being passed round, sour
set, duly furnished with sleds, pay their respects
to the lady patroness. Sewing circles have gone
out of date, and the gentlemen Invite the girls to
coast, the same as in old times they invited them
to sleigh ride. The stable keepers languish; the
horses laugh and fatten in their stalls. The car
penters, who make the sleds, are getting rich and
prices have advanced five hundred per cent The
ambition formerly was to see who should turn out
the hands0mest equlpage; now, the last new sled
affords talk in the fashionable circles for week
Sleds with bells; sleds with footboards cushioned,
carpeted, framed, and board runners; sleds shod
with hoop -iron and steel; their names-it would
take hall a column to enumerate them-all form
topics OF discussion animated and critical as
ever expended upon the srappings.'' Many of the
cutters are very beautiful things, and cost hand
some sums Of money.
But the great point is. who has got the fastest
sled. They all fly like arrows freighted with
precious cargoes, and there is as much rivalry to
pass each other as there is among the sewhips'' on
the Neck in your city. 1t is now pretty we'll set
tied that the crack sled of the town is owned by
distingu ished married lady in Lincoln street. At
any rate her friends are ready to back it against
any other with large amounts
There is many joyous scene within the range
OF our eye as we stand looking on. The shouts
and cheers Of the participants ring cbeeriy the
biting air, while many gallant fellow, in addi-
ton to his sled, draws his lady up the ill.
Come up here, Mr.. Editor, some evening, and
we will furnish you crack sled, and show you
sights in the way of coasing that not dreamed
you boast 80 much.
WINrER SCENE ON THE ScHuYLKILL.-We do
not recollect to have ever witnessed exhila-
rating scene than that presented yesterday after
noon, upon the Schuylkill, above the Paramount
dam. From shore to shore the surface of the water
was covered by glistcning sheet of smooth and
solid ice, upon which thousands of citizens, with
their wives and sweethearts, amused themselves
with appropriate and robust sports. Most of the
male portion of the participants attracted to
the spot by the fine skating, and they enjoyed
themselves in that manly exercise to their hearts
nished with the flashing blades, propelled ladies
about the surface with great swftness, while their
fair friends were seated in miniature seighs.
Others took their gentle companions by the hand,
and drew them over the polished ice, while femi-
Eine timidity gave vent to faint screams of min
gled terror and delight crowd, composed ex-
clusvely of the ruder sex, formed sliding party,
and went gliding over the frozen surface at round
rate. Occasionally single individual would fall
either by accident or design, and in an instant
twenty of his companions would stumble over the
PROSTATE form. and grand exhibition of ssground
tumbling" would be the result; nobody would be
hurt, and all hands would recommends their fun
with renewed zest. Life abounds in strong con
trasts, and the scene yesterday was not an excep.
ton. Several gentlemen, celebrated for their skill
at skating, gyrated gracefully on the ice, and at.
tracted crowds of admirers; while novices houn
dered about awkwardly and added their quota te
the general stock of merriment The neat sleigh,
modelled after the graceful patterns seen in pic
lures of Russian winter scenes, and tenanted by
some fair member of the "higher circles" added
beauty to the display, while "Young America
dragged along his little sister cousin on his
home made sled, and made the air fairly ring with
ms shouts of delight. The aristocratic s'High
Dutch ploughed deep burrows in the ice side BY
side with the ancient and democratic Croker
Dump, and patrician velvets were houted by ple--
beian calicoes.
The scene. to lover of the picturesque. was
attractive in the extreme. The beautiful river
enchanted, as far as the eye could reach. in lev
bonds; the sober, wintry looking sky, painted in
glowing colors by the setting sun; the snow-cov-
cred fields, and the stark and Ieaiess trees, made
up very striking perspective. The foreground
OF the picture was enlivened by the thousands of
people enjoying themselves in innocent and health
ful exercise, and by the screaming locomotives and
their long trains Of cars which rumbled along the
west bank Of the river. AS the sun sank lower.
the furnaces in the neighboring factories and the
cneerful lights in the windows Of dwellings began
to brighten in the thickening gloom, and admo-
nlshed the sders and skaters that it was high time
to wend their way homeward. Then came a rush
toward the omnibuses, and these useful vehicles
returned slowly to the city, heavily laden inside
and outside with tired people; many of whom
have doubtless complained much to-day Of stiff
ened joints, induced by unusual exercise Win
ter, although generally associated with ideas of
gloom, brings many pleasures in his train.
Philadelphia Bulletin.
To PREVENT COLLISIONS ON RAILRoADs-A cor |
respondent suggests the proprety that every rail-
road company have a regular line of telegraph on |
the line of their roads; and at every important |
station there should also be telegraph station to
each way the arrival of train. In |
this way it can be known when train started, |
and its progress; and the train coming in an Cd
poste direction may know when and where to