Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-01-14
lQ0rtester Daily Spp.


PLEASURES OF SKArING.-Rigbt beneath
one OF our windows, from morn to midnight
we see youngsters and oldsters twisting their
legs In all conceivable shapes, skating up and
down the river, as merry as lambs We can
not pick up paper but an article on "skat-
ing" meets the eye. Everybody says it's fun,
and that's all everybody knows about it, for
we've tried it. Last night about gas light
time, after reading glowing description of
life on skates, we prepared for our first at
tempt and sailed forth to join the merry
crowd. We had on a pair of stoga boots,
trousers legs tucked inside, robert-tailed
coat, and white hat. We went down on the
ice, and gave boy two shlings in good coin
OF the realm for the use of his implements.
we had confidence even great as Peters
faith We, with the assistance of Il friend,
fixed on the skates, and stood erect like bar
4 bers pole Encouraged by the sight Of some
ladies on the bridge who were just then look
ing at the skaters, we struck out. A slant to
/ the right with the right foot, slant to the left
with the left foot-and just then we saw some
thing on the ice, and stopped over to pick it
up! On our feet again-two sants to the
right and one to the left, accompanied with
Moss Of confidence. Another stride with the
q right foot, and we sat down with fearful ra-
pidity, and very little if any elegance What
set down it was, for we made dent in the
ice not unlike Connecticut butter-bowl!
just then one of the ladies remarked, ooh,
look, Mary, that Teller with 1.-THE white hat
amt got his skates on tie right place p Dit
to, thought we. just then ragged little devil
sang out as he glided past u.s. "Hallo, old tim.
Der legs !" and we arose suddenly and put at.
ter him, and away went our legs-one to the
east the other west, causing an immense 6s-
sure in our pants, and another picture OF but
ertray in the cold-oh hoD cold lice Then
the lady-we knew she was one by the remark
tho md
Mary, that chap with white hat has set down
on his handkerchief to keep from taking cold!'
We rose about as gracefully as a saY-horse,
when Mary said, "GuesS faint handkerchief
Jane" and Mary was right. 1t wasn't
Observation-Disclosures a bit OF it. Just then a
friend came along, and proffered us his coat
tail as 'Steader." We accepted the contir-
uation of his garment and up the river we
went, about ten rods, when shy to the right
by the leader, caused us, the wheel-horse, to
scoot OFT on tangent, heels up! But the ice
is very cold this season.
We tried it again. A glide one way-a
glide and half the other, when whack came
our bump of philoprogenitiveness on the ice,
and we saw O million of stars dancing around
US, like ballet girls at the Bowery Theater
How that shock went through our system, and
up and down our spinal column. Lightning
couldn't have corkscrewed it down a creased
saphng with greater speed or more exhilirating
effect Boarding house butter nor warranty
deed could not have struck stronger than we
did-and dozen ladies looking at us-and our
assured pants
"Halo, old cock !" sang out that ragged imp
again, and we there helpless. Soon we got up
and made another trial. with better success.
Perhaps we had skated, i'll our peculiar style,
fifteen feet when a laundering chap came up
behind, and we sat down with our tried head
pillowed in his lap-and he swearing at us,
when it was all his fault How cold the ice
was there, too. Every spot where we made
our debut on the ice-oh, how cold it was
Our bearskin drawers were no protection at
all. We tried again, for the papers all say it's
fun, and down came our Roman Grecian nose
on the cold juep material, and the little drops
of crimson ran down our shirt BOSOM and on
to the cold ice.
Once more we tried skatng-made for the
shore-sat down and counted damages. Two
shllings in cash thrown away. Seven lateral
and one ''tronteraP' humps the ice. One
immense assure i'll as handsome pair of ten
dollar cassimeres as man ever put his legs in.
One rupture i'll the knee, extending to the bone.
-Four buttons from our vest, with fragment
ed' watch crystle, and back-ache big enough
to divide among the children of Israel. If you
catch us on the smooth CLASSY, chilling, treez-
ing, treacherous, deceitful, slippery and slip
uppery ice again, you'll know it! If any one
ever hears of our skating again, they will
please draw on us at sight for the bivaves and
accompanying documents. We have got
through skating. 1t is humbug. 1t is a
vexation of spirit, of business, of flesh, and
tearer Of trowsers It's a head-bumping,
back aching, leg-wearying institution, and we
warn people against skating. We tried it, and
stan't be able to walk for month Skating
clubs are hnmbugs, and all the rascay young
ster's wish is to get the ladies at it, that they
may see-if they, too, don't say, "the ice is
dreadfully cold" It's nothing to us, but the
ladies will do as well to let skates alone, I'M
less they are younger and more elastic than
are We. Ugh how cold the ice is-we can
feel it yet!