Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-04-17
I got up az soon as my skates were fixed.


got upas soon as my skates were fixed,
and assisted Araminta to her feet. As that
beautiful (but somewhat large) creature en-
trusted herself confdingly to my protection,
| felt her weight (which I.roughly estimated
at les pouuds) as she leaned upon my arh
for support, with the same sensations that
the man must have experienced on taxing
possession Of the elephant which he had
drawn in lottery. We started beautifully,
but on the third strike Araminta, without
any earthly reason that could see, gr~ped
my. arm frantically, threw her head back,
and sat down, more like a thousand Of bricks
than anything else that ever saw. j tried
to. stop her, but you might as wdl have
tried to stop an avalanche from didipg or
an NJ O. from speaking. She loolesi heavy,
but she felt twice as heavy as she looked,
and my attempt to save her only resulted in
the downfall Of both OF us. We came. down
''solid," and sharp crack" as though
the ice had given away under the pressure,
was distinctly audible. started, and
Araminta screamed, but nothing was to be
seen. Pretty soon strong smell Of whisky
began to pervade the air. AIaminta, who is
Temperance to the backbone, smclled
the odor with intense disgust, and remarked
|
where there were ladies' smelling as that
man did who had just passed, was no gen.
tleman." lacquiesced Of course, and NUT
tered something about great brute" At
the same time could not help felicitating
myself on my discretion in putting my whis-
ky into my coat-tail instead of my breast
pocket, where Araminta would have dis
covered it to certainty. But, on putting
my hand into my pocket, | was Mortified
to discover, by getting my fingers cut that
knell Of my flask, that it was reduced to
fragments, and the odor in question arose
from my saturated pocket 1t was first.
class Bourbon, and could be smelled quar-.
ter of u mile Every one turned as we
passed, and shifted and stared TO see what
made 'that smell I" and policeman began
tn follow us "afar off" My charmer was
not greatly pleased at the public celebrity
she had so suddenly attained, although as
yet unconscious of the cause.
i We started again. This time she slipped
and hit my shin with her skate, in way
that would have brought tears in the eve.
of pawnbroker, tripping me up, and o.
course we went down together uttered {
single ejaculation, more emphatic than usua
in polite conversation, as the pieces of glass
in my pocket, on which / brought up, stucl
in my leg in several places, aud bounced
up in hurry, forgetting for the moment
all about Araminta She looked at me Will
indignation ''Mr. Smith," said she, witt
!, great dignity and emphasis on the Mr..
you have been drinking, sir!" OF cours
l swore | hadn't, and made all possible ex
cuscs but could plainly see that all M
protestations did not receive much credit
Nevertheless. -wa- -stastal -as,a;es- -EcD tin.
all went smoothly but l began to think tina
+ Arap,inta in one of her evolutions mus
3 have fallen on hei temper, for it was gettin
more unpleasant with every collision an
stumhle-and their name was legion. -
Finally, just as wo were in front ofthe ladies
I room, little brat of a boy, skating by lik
the wind, came up against Araminta wit
force that caromed him off about tw
r hundred yards, making hoie through tn
: crowd in his way like a 6-pound she'll
seized her, and kRop | would have he'll
y her up, only, just at that moment, my LEI
/ leg, by some fatality, had again secede
: from the right, and started off sideways b
J., itself. Anyhow, over went, and Aramiu
+ ia sat on me, more like pile-driver than
Q young lady We went down right in tn
d path of half dozen skaters, who piled owe
= us in a perfect pyramid. The way tn
drapery fell was tremendous, and then--a
e was blank.
d | came to my senses in one of the eatin
booths by having scalding hot coffee pou
o cd down my throat by gentleman VIII
= stirred little whisky in it, occasionally
- with sausage, in the absence of spoon,
n strengthen me. started up and rushed |
the door. Where was Araminta?
:, "Your big gall confidently remarke
r, a pery small boy, ''has gone off with th'
!, fancy skater over there. My eyes yo
a. ought to see him do the outside edge bacl
ward dp"
t. Hooked, and saw Jones! Yes, Jones
,e standing on one leg and looking at his Goa
IN tail under his elbow, in utter defiance
or all laws of gravitation, and not sitting dow
: and there also was Araminta, gazing at hi
n, with silent admiration. At this momel
e. the policeman who had followed us upon Il
G. ice, tapped me on the shoulder, and ARE
IN ted me for being intoxicated on the pond.
lg ! plead and protested without avail; Il
a guardian of the public virtue was infexibl
ny | had to go to headquarters, followed by
as train of admiring spectators, like the ''tail
,n of highland chief, and attracting the a
g. tention of every one on the pond. Aft
d. half an hours expostulation with ''the po,
IN ers that be-" succeeded in convincing the
RI that was not drunk, and obtained my r
n lease, with the admonition mot to DO
< again" Just as if had ever done an
it thing But by this time it was dark II
ng clothes were spoiled, and my feelings we
VS. ''too many for me, and left.
81 That evening received my letters, loc
he of hair, etc., but not the skates l h
ng presented to Araminta, with short moi
W. stating that she felt compelled to bre
mt off all relations with one who would so I
'ds forget himself, in public, as l had done
lot | haven't seen her since, but am inform
TX that she is to be Mrs Jones at the end
= the skating season. Since then, l say .'sk
rt, ting is a humbugl'' Am l not justified
ny 39GHiip ------.-s------------- - ------ Z o Y
dy Mrs. PARrINaToN's Ike has gone fol
an soldier. Mrs. Partington makes farew
are address Ike, you SON., stand up while
So address you, hold my bonnet and spe
ah- Fellow-soldier: 1t is the abandoned sdt
a NJ 4 4 4 .lat- i !.