, 1863-01-09
SKATING AND SKATERS.
OUR ICE FIELDS.


s9ha11ne is an ancient pastfme, II We may be-
n's inc nooks. 1t Is mentioned in the Edda,
"r'een esght hundred years ago, In which the
soo oAer is represented rs distinguished by
MS beauty, arrows and skates. Klopstock
has sung Its praises In several odcs; Goethe,
hefder' and other German poets hive celc.
ola'ea II. As health.giying exercise 1t
s'ahos pre-eminent, bringing the body into
acuon through variety Of motions, and eI-
Mbltlng In marked degree the comparative
ease and grace possessed by those who ven
turc upon trial OF their skill
Inc best skaters, 1t is said, are found in
aoi1ana, aefmany and Russia. In Holland,
as u "eH known, ooth men and women use
skases as means OF locomotion from ono vii
aagc 10 another, and On market days the riy~
ess arc Aneo Win persons gliding to and from
the mafhct towns. Iherc ladies universally
practice the amusement, not only as recrca-
tion, but IS part Of the gymnastic courEe Of
training to which females, rs well as males,
are In tlat country submitted. Night after
night they may be seen, sometimes with gen
ucmen, and again alone, "like the Homeric
gods, striding with winged feet over the sea,
transmitted into solid ground"
It Is only within few years that skating
has reached what may be termed the fashion
able circles Of society In this country. For
generations previous tue boys ind held SUI
pleue e"a3 OVER tae ICE, anu Nnen one Of
ia5ger growth, not forgetting the delights Of
his school days, ventured to "strikc out,'' he
"as deemed m intruder, and treated accord
angls. now however, the scene has changed,
ano oeau ana oeue vie with each other IN
ene wv sa.n''a'. IL ~ true that the gaily
o'eeseo iao'es WHO no" crowd our skating
ponos' nave All experience in acquiring the
skal now exhibited which they very seldom
1eaate-ats remempfancea are not pleasant
lucy sn''er as memory feeans thelr OIL re-
pea'eo ORGANIZATIONS, on: ~" eo!o -. .ss
N, ana imagine 1nat, rs Luz, 9o'eu, peAeu
themselves up 'hey o'o nos p'esen' .ns mos.
g1aceinl p'el9te. no". olIsu' wv, nas 'i'As
sen sn'~ n1an. .lsnre,d;nr a,,1,a ;, 81 a.st: ~
e"nty 11s e 1a..,7. aN-s,, -, ~" sue'tu
.>or,,o,s uno+ 1oua 1,,t doo,, ), ~, - >
t1.a+;nn 90 ~ 49, fno,n;opau - 1 -. ,'.Ia .t.
..;a1s,s ~ fa,.a - 80 n,a.h .,.lus w 40
sn,ns - . hor;zon.,1 - nos,t,on ~ A S 9s W '0-
Th;s yrar there has hon mo-o +,,or ,s,,,,
delay IN ncrtectino matters and .sno s1;at;nn
+h;a DIV and evon;ro,,, has MAJ thu aro q
~ -, ,a,>o.+oa IT, ,.- :,
-s.sas ~ ~ ~ nHs.- -aas.. 'e oSe'1s a'ouseAoto
'
w. -,t1 ~ % 11na .ao,.s ~ 49, v -aae "nl'
~, .hrou 49, ~ adraraas 1s.-~. - .-.e
~ H. e.sa.,,a ,r,.,, 49, =. 80, ..a W
So. ..a - -. 49, ~ 1 ~, ss'ei''
:.',.as-ss @ - N..u 1 "esu nnaei1. !,
80 e-A vrfo4 sua.'s ~ ene ,Aanest
49, - as ~ s "sn. "iou, ano one
~ ~, Wv So ,.l 4osAe '".n'o away nts n'ce' aao
aus. .s,e 49, o..s ,Aeu, =, "nli'
49,, ~ ...'e 'eea '!ei.so "itafA4n
snoo ''nu nooo' !" "na'e o"f uelsneors al LII
ooquc, s'ilo even neareF none' nave mad nnln'
eltup.ea sAa1ane. Inc cause Tor lhls marked
Pat.A'nss "e ea!ino. oA'ine' pu1 tnat II "as
o"As ~ eo'ne eil VI olnass'on VI commlsslol
VI ne part u sone VI us lAere can oe ne
DOUBT.
may rs we'll therefore, enjoy and improve tht
present. The Ice Is In excellent condition
smooth as polished marble, and awaits tht
advent OF merry and steel-clad feet.
On Wednesday night the Washington Parl
was first thrown open to ticket holders, ani
very merry time there was. The pond va.
brilliantly lighted, and the ice was in excel
lent condition. As q consequence the com
pany were In the Jolliest Of hulnors. and one
and all united In the most pleasnrable antlci
pations, for the remainder Of the winter.
Last night the formal opening occurred anf
the companie" " was very large. Music en-
iTened the scene, and the park was dedicated
to The sports OF the steel elads with the great
est eczat-
TheCcntral Park too, that good old standby
endeared to many Of Us by thousands Of plea
SAINT "reminiscences, was last night reopcned
Inc pond is Just Large enough to accommo'
who do not desire to 1osc t,emse,vcs over =
nil, ,,-,,.,.o oe:. r. :.