Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-07-01
A WINTER SKETCH IN HYDE PARK.


Great streams of people are always setting
from or towards Hyde Park they throng the
paths and loom across the fog like funeral pro
cessions. The sheep that were white last week
are now turned black, the trees are black. and
the marble arch is soaly by contrast with the
snow. AT the eastern end of the Serpentine,
the poor frozen-out waterfowl are huddled to-
gether, as In expectation of attacking ours.
Little children who have come to store and not
to give are attacked by justly indignant swans,
which insist upon getting satisfaction out of
their mottled arms; and the military, which Is
life guardsman attached to the nurse, is Obliged
to be called in to their help. A great troop
OF these hOrse-sOldiers is passing i'm the distance
and their red plumes and cuirass, and black
chargers, make fine pageant upon the snow,
and pleasant music in the clear frosty air.
This is at nine o'clock; but between seven and
eight In the morning. the ice is broken on the
south side for the bathers, of whom to-day,
there are no less than fve-two of them gray
headed Polar bears from the Arctic Ocean. and
three younger persons, probably religious fana-
ties. few skaters are skimmng swallow
like, in their vicinity, and a Humane Society's
man is standing by with a savage expression of
countenance, and harpoon, as though they
were whales.
As the crowd increases, the professional gen.
tlcmen who had invested their capital in skates
and chair increase likewise. and are prepa red
W iOb lAlO IOiHci OuI dt s1Apence per Dalr
bour-a deposit of five shillings being required
as guarantee for their return. Under the
chair Is sometimes bottle of brandy, to be
used incidentally in keeping up the courage of
the patient; and even after that restorative he
Will often insist upon the proprietOr's accom-
panying him little way upon the ice until he
" feels his legs" which he accomplishes, to all
appearance, by stretching out his arms like a
baby, and catching ut the air. A skate-lender
with whom spoke upon the smallness of the
deposit, assured me that he had never lost but
two pair In long experience, and those under
very peculiar circumstances.
"A gentleman came to me-" says he some
few years ago. to have a couple of hours of it.
who said he had nothing about him under n 6ye
pound note: lie was so perfect gentleman so
slap-up, 80 kiddy, that said Well, I'll trust
you" He was affable and pleasant as could be
while L was putting on the irons, but he kept
his eye about him all the time, as though he
was expecting somebody he didn't want to see.
Il wish it was Sunday my man. says he.
Why SO, sir'' says I.
why, because-Hero, let me 60" says
he; hang the strap" and in a moment he'd
pulled me down the bank, and broke away from
me like harrow from bow. A great big chap
with hook nose caught hold of me as let 90,
but just missed nabbing the 'tother one.
I'm bailiff, )" says he, "and want that
man."
Are you," says I, g and do youo" says L,
for | amt fond Of that sort nohow.''
o. Yes, " says the gentleman, who had fastened
his strap by this time, and came skmming up
quite close to US under the banks: .'hc's u
baillf, he is, and very nice bailiff too-ain't
yJu, SOlOmonst I'm sorry to be obliged to 20
So much faster than you with these here skates
on, and so to be deprived of your valuable com-
pany. BY bye, Solly:" and off he went again,
backwards, for he was a real good skater.
V,pty hava ~ fba hail;
emily, who was getting awfully riIed.
Certainly" says /; but should like to see
the five shillings first, for your friend has not
left farthing with me-"
.' He hasn't got farthing," says the bailiff
grim enough. Now, Mr.. Halphonso Caven-
dish Oward, let us see who is the fastest" and
off went the Jew after his game at q pace that
was a caution to engines.
Look out" holiers |; Look out =" hechoes
the people; and the next moment, there they
was hare and greyhound twisting and turning,
and Overshooting one another in manner pretty
to behold. Moses was the better man on the
irons, out and OUT and the other, finding him
self beat, stood out for the part marked Dam
gerOHS, with the Humane Societies a-holIering
at him from both sides, and him not caring one
icicle. 1t was sink or swim with the gent, you
see always; and the bailff-that 1 will say
struck to him like "A man. The ice quivered
and cracked whenever they came together; and
three times the jews hand was upon his collar
and three times he got away; when all of a sud-
den Mr. 'Oward starts off as hard as he can 90
for the bridge, trust ng to his speed to take him
over the rotten ice before it had time to give
aud he did IL too. He came right on to the
place in front of the Skating Club yonder, and
they do say he was as pale as ashes with the
fright; but he got safe away anyhow-with my
Ja;r Of skates
.'Ah, then" said L, after this long narration,
90 suppose the Jews thought twice about fol-
lowing him under the bridge
"NO; he put the steam up, and tried it on too;
but there he went in-he did"
I" Bless Inc ~ said /, ait must hav, been
very hard to have rescued him from such a po-
sition,'
1T ,cas hard, 1 believe you, sir; and the
man was drowned-and that's how lost my
second par of skates"