Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-11-18
III sitella
fr.m Cooley Lady's Book for December,
The Phantom Skater.
By CHARLES D. GARDETTR.

By CHARLES D. GARDETrH.
John Phillips was, and is, one of the
most accomplished skaters | ever w,snd
the most untring and devoted eutivator
Of that graceful art anybody ever saw
Morning, uoon, AMI night, through every
skating season, found Jack skimming over
the CLASSY surface Of the river that ran by
the foot Of his garden, or whlrilng IN
wondrous curves and gyratlons manifold
within magic circle OF u few yards IN
diameter, whose periphery was Closed by
a triple line ot' admiring spectators. lie
seemed to live on the ice. People who
wanted to be witty insiuuatcd that ice
was mis- meat aud drink, and that he had
been seen making hearty laach Oft a
pood.sizei block OF it, washed down 10y II
draupbt of the clear. cold water Of which
twas composed. have too often lunch
ed with Jack off cold chicken and ale,
however, in the ucontidc interval OF skat-
ING. not to know that this was pure in-
venrion.
There were number Of cottages along
tho river side on each side Of the Phlt-
lbs mansion, and a number OF pleasant
people lived in them-amlsble old
folks clever lads, and pretty lAsscs, all
a, whom Saving the elders, whose saat-
ing days had gone byl were mere or les
familiar with Jacks iavoritr accomplish
m.n.. and pauy merry skating troiics
were he d thereon.
Perhaps the most graceful and accom-
pIi,hcd artiste, after jack. was Il charm
ing Young damscl of some seventeen
summers tand winters. for every season
mvst and mW count in the race OF ll'e}.
by name Fanny Leytou, who lived IN the
cottage lowest down the river, nearly hal
. mile helox PhlliPs's house. Fanny
and j ack often ran races, and 1t Was II
doubtful matter which vas the swii,er OF
the two on a raight-ahead match though
Jack far surpassed her in the arabesqne,
if Imay so call them, cvolutlons ami fig
ures of the art. Ny readers vii not be
surn-i.ed to learn that jack Phillips wae
desperately smitten With Miss Fanny ;
bu, it will give them pain, l fear, to know
that she looked coldly (even in summer)
upon hrs passion. What the reason was
l never knew. nor did he, believe
Probably it was simply one OF those mys-
tcrious caprices that seem incident TO
maidenhood. At all events it was fact,
and to Jack u melancholy Que, though he
bore Up under i. mantully, and, believing
that faint heart never won fair lady
kept hoping aud persevering IN his sult
with praiseworthy ardor.
Fanny didn't dislike Jack, mind you !;
on the contrary, she seemed fond OF his
society. for he was genial fellow aud i
thorough gentleman but Whenever he
attempted to pass beyond the limits OF
simple friendship aud camara9erte. ami
to speak of his love, she turned the sub
iect aside with laugh, saying " she did
not intend to allow any thought OF love
10 trouble her till she was fve-aId-twenty
at least, aud that Jack was too agreeable
as a friend aud companion to think oil
changing him in that character. lPon
which Jack would look mopish for mo-
ment, but soon brighten up again and JoIn
in the laugh aud the conversation would
continue in the bantering tone Miss Fan
ny had just adopted.
This was the state of affairs between
them when the events l am about to re-
late suddenly and essentially modified
them.
Jack had been kept in town all day,
very much to his disgust, by some ous'-
ness it was impossible to delay or neglect
The ice was in splendid condition, ami
Phillips had been pieturins to himself the
CAV scene it doubtless presented the wh'ie
he was tied down to his desk IN musty
law office. And, as if TO vex hlm the
more. there was large space OF dirty
frozen water in the court on which his
windows looked, and every time he G lane
ed up from his papers he beheld some ave
or six boys, most OF them with a s'hs.e
skate. scudding up and down this oasis
with shouts Of laughter and many a tu'n-
BILE on the Opaque surface OF the frozen
puddle, which only made them the merfi'
er.
"Coufound the brats - said Jack saw
apely. How the deuce can man
think, with such an Internal row III his
ears! I've great mind to 60 out anu
drive 'em off," However, as Jack was a
most amiab.e fellow tbottom, he d'dnt
execute his threat, but contented himseii
with semi-occasional anathemas on the
urchins, in the intervals of his labor.
When he finally stopped to light his
gas. they were gone, and couple OF
L., onnh hlah .Iacl To TN.