The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-12-15
THE. sKATING sEAsON.
Skating I'm the OLD Tlmes-.-A NetIona
and Healthy Amusement Revived,

and Healthy Amusement ReViVedsE9
Skating is not an American sport exc ex4
clusively. 1t has the age of centuries
to recommend it. The people of all the
higher latitudes have held 1t in high es--
TEEN from time immemorial.; In Greece
it was a advertisement seco6d only. to
the Olymptan games, and, enormous
sums in the large cities were expended
in the preparation and embelishmen69f
the natural and artificial lakes design
ed for this purpose. Prizes were cont
peted for, and the successful candidate
was awarded the hattering distinction
of having his name, with the date and
particulars of his achievement, inscribsl
ed in the market and other places -hn
example which may, sooner or later, be
Initiated in ouE own ceunbry.rrI l. IN 3
Among the Hollanders, skating is an
nncientsport. Skates hive been used
in their e6hhtry from aii ,tiii known
period by all Glasses of the people, for
the easier and more progress
made BY their aid i'm travelling along
ithe canals and rivers OF the Acountry.e
In most countries, however, where skath
ing is practical, it is indulged1iEi main
.ly as an amusemene and heaitiiful ex
ercise. In the Edda iE EsisJmentiohed-5
tho God Uller being epEesented as dis
skates. The icelandersarey very fond of
the exercise, aud history records the
fact that in the olden time they made
their skates '1ofthe shank-bone ofa deer,
or sheep, about a foot long, which
they ala creased sbecause they
dRopld dPops upon n4S fbem ssP sSPRsa asssFfptSS S
of the ancient customs of London by
Eit2stepheM, that author remarks:
"Some7 tye bones tos their heeles, and
showing themselves by a little picked
static do slide as fsimply 'ass bird
tiyeth in the air, or m arrow from q
ment was Known some centuries ago.
and the young folks are very much
given to it.'' In the . ESP 0FtS and Pas
times aOf the People of EnEllndn the
writer says he has seen upon the Ser
pentine River four gentlemenl dance a
double minuet iniskHtes with as much
room ~ while Hone in his SEvery day
Book remarks "ttlat the elegance of
skates on that sheet of water IS chiefly.
exhbitedItn quadrilles, which some
parties got through, with, n beauty
scarcely Imaginable by those who have
not seen graceful skating"
Therefore, let il be understood that
skatinglis peculiar to no particular. ma
ton II is too good thing 10 be en-
joyed by, only one people, and hence
the reason why it is esteemed SO highly
by all clans, cliQueS, and sets ofipe0-
pleiwho live where water freezes.a
Therecent dash of cold weather has
elevated the spirits Of the sknters to an
exhil liarating degree. There has beena
general brushing up and furnishing
ofsteal shoes, and all the necessary gear
has been put in order. For. who
1Snoweth what n day or an hour may
bring ing forth OF tn I'm xffrYsT
PROGRAMME OF THE sREpoNsTRucTs
ED. The fnture programme of the re-
constructed rebels is epitomized in the
following scrap of dialogue, related by
q Mobile correspondent Of the Cincin-
natl Gazette (Which side will we
take 9'' answered an adept In political
shutting, whose presence graeed' many
q caucus in Washington in the old
times. @why, the side that bids high
est for us, of course. And you needn't
be at any loss to know what side that is.
You've been- whipping rs right sound
w. I'VE aelt nowledged~ the Whipping,
but we don't kiss The, hand that gave 1t
mot, ibX, q Did sight Veil unite
tween us won make majority. Then
we'll show you who's going to rule this
country"