Evening star., 1865-02-04
HIGHJINKs ON SKATES.
BY cLKw GARNET, U. 8. u.

skating, Schuylkiu, and Schuylkiii Park, dia-
mond ditto, private ditto-the grand fanImen
en- skates, bows on skates; splendid sylpnides
IN scant skirts, steel shod, and skirring away
over the ice-the-the-thunder, The very
reading gave me the ice fever, and iI the deli
rum consequent upon the sudden attack, re-
solved upon taking an ice-cruise myself.
Why notl What was to hinderl had never
navigated that sort OF craft tbs true. But then
I'D been or the water and under water, all
my life-and on Ice, too-sonsf HaA not Killed
seals, and chased white bears, for weeks To-
gether, on iceP
did everybody else, when inquired OF them.
could skate! What was the reason couldn't!
The only things I'd ever seen woman do that
couldn't was TO hook her dress at, and car
rying six feet breadth of crinolne, sail through
a twenty Inch doorway. Yes, sir-I could
skate; and l was bound on an ice-cruise-
There was nothing to prevent the eIpea,ai0n sioa
about the Navy Yard, detached from every
thing-all acquaintances included-waitihg
orders. Disguised with bar-rooms, deestlng
theatres, what was 1 to do for amusement
Why, skate, Of course! Ah yes!the very thing,
by Jove! Why hadn't l thought of IL beforel
I'D have cruise directly, or sooner il possible.
No, must have the tools first and started Off
up town to find 'em.
drought up in front of big window on the
starkoard side of Chestnut street, going towards
Schuylkll, where they had more different rigs
of sliding machines than you can see national
flags in Gibraltar. Knowing about as much
Of The qualifications of the different patterns as
Il
and asked for pair Of skates.
"What kind do you prefer, sirl"
"oh, have no preference. Give me the best
"Yes, sir" and the clerk passed for inspec-
tion a pair Of brass clad, steel clippers, with
more gilgies and running 1iggingto 'em than
"These are the best, are They'll
"Yes, sir, decidedly! Just get on them. sir,
and you'll 60 everywhere aud any where, like
patent lightning! If you don't find it so, bring
'ero hack. and I'll return VOQr money!
tWhat the prieeP
"Fourteen dollars! Very cheap, sir.'
Didn't believe that, OF course; but invested
the amount ana made sail for Paramount.
Found superb skating. Every ybody said so,
only those that called ii elegant splendid!
magnificent! There was regiment OF men,
battalion of dimity, and whole brigade OF
small craft, on skates-skivering, scooting, and
cutting all sort of fancies on the ice; every
body laughing, chattering, whooping, skylark-
ing, and skirring in all directions, and didn't
wonder that newspapers, and everybody else,
called skating glorious fun.
"Have your skates strapped, sir!' said an
itinerant bootblack about the height OF walk
ing. stick
"Do you understand it, bub!"
ooh, yes, sir. I strap all the ladies skates
"Ah ha! Do, eh! Must have a Jolly time OF
it, Would like the berth myself. There you
are. Go ahead boy~ and l sat down on Black
les box, about couple of fatnoms out on the
Whiz.-Iike a rocket, went by great strap
ping, long legged chap, with cigar nylng Ji6-
boom, and swinging his arms like Irigate,s
heaa-yardS in hurricane, with the braces All
adrift.
ooh, no! So they can smoke on skates-en,
boy!'
"Lord, yes, sir. Everybody smokes on the
ice."
Exactly" So fired up on Principe and
shipped 1t for the cruise.
Urchin announced skates all ataunto, and
took q fifty cent "fractional' fee.
"Here, boy, here's another fifty. just allow
me to sit on your box few minutes, till ge'
the run of the navigation"
oYes, sir-you can set there till git some
body else to strap
So sat there studying navigation by dead
reckoning, till directly little pettcoat craft,
in yellow trowsers, skirts TO her knees, red
belt, Russian cap, and arms akimbe, swooped
down and checked up right in front OF me.
There she hung for mnqte & G@lve.ng Ave. se,
prey, and all the time cycling me with jolly
twinkle in her dancing black eyes.
"a challenge tor race, sir! Catch me II you
Little Dimity lifted her left foota trifie, bent
the right knee slightly, made graceful curve,
the bottom Of her skirt just brushing my nose,
and Off she went like a flying fish-zee St
Zit!-swnging from side to side, her tartan
skirt swaying hither and thither, like the folds
of a spanker brailed in with the ship.head to
wind.
SOHO! That's challenge, is IT. And that is
the way to skate Thunder! can skate Any
body can skate!
could do / accepted Dimity's challenge, how
ever, and her practice on ice. So Immediately
bounced from that blacking-bex, lifted left
foot little, bent right knee, and stuck my
arms akmbo But didn't cut q curve. did
next best thing, however, and cut "spread
eagle" Port foot slid due southeast, and star
board one nor'west till realized those spread
out pictorial impossibilities on circus bills. L
wondered if my boots and skates would ever
become shipmates again.
"Hullo! mister, you mustn't try to skate all
over both sides this ere pond at once" growled
an old commercial-looking chap, as he checked
up long enough to put in the remonstrance
against my ice monopoly.
81 say. Mister Saltwater, couldn't yer lift
yerself amidship a bit, so we can sail between
yer legs' piped young scamp, file-leader to
8 string of Juvenile skaters.
"Don't try to skate on both feet at once, my
dear sir,'' ad dvised a sensible, Christian look
ing young man. who came to my assistance,
you lift one foot, sir, you must throw all your
vigor and muscle into the other limb. And
then remember to sway your body so that your
weight will always be upon that foot which
has the ice. 'Tis very easy, sir-just this way"
and away went my Christian mentor, with a
long striding, graceful swing.
Oh, yes--thats very easy. All the vigor in
the otner limb. Yes, can oft. So made a
prodigious scoot, and-did it!
/ stuck out left leg like musquito when he
is blood sucking. Put all my vigor and mus
Gle into fright limb, and couldn't get it out
again. Went off on one foot like shot,
crooKing right knee little, twice minute, just
crossing my course, under convoy, OF a big.
double banked chap, both skating like astreak.
Tried to sheer to port, and go clear OF em.
Missed stays, and went afoul Of crinolne.
The toe of my port skate hooked Miss Some
body's skirt, which gave broad sheer to star
board. and rammed big convoy, butting him
square on his cutwater, and drove the fire OF
my Principe half way do wn his throat. There
was an everlasting tangle, and all hands went
sprawling on the ice, like nest OF 1neauga
land. crabs.
sLook here, sir! What do you mean % yelled
the big convoy. scrambling to his feet, and
mannuvering for a broadside.
"Beg pardon, sir, couldn't help it"' I re.
piled meekly, still sitting on the ice.
"Coulda't help it, Why didn't you stopF'
HDidn'tknow how"
"Oh, ho green on skates, EN-"
eyes, greener IA a babbage"'
That Modified big chap, and setting me on
my pins again, he volunteered to educate me
in checking up.
ssTurn your toes up, and dig the heels Of
your skates into the ice-and he illustrated.
60 yes: can do that" And I did, direct
ly. Off shot again on one leg; steering this