Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1865-01-12
SKATING.

ice constrained" it is even more common than
here that in the winter season in Lapland it
affords the only means of foot travel; that
skates are Of as a,Hch use as feet among tho
frozen SHOWS Of Russia, and that IN Holland
everybody wears shoes upon metal runners
over the frozen rivers aid canals, from the
wealthy and stalwaft bdrghcr do*n to tie
slim, Blooming fradldn, or the atiply davsiop-
ed frau, Who in the season of ice and .tow
does her marketing and. her shopping Upon
skates. iFhrlhcF it be fashionable iii ,his
good old country Of dyhcs and bitches for The
one to roll into his beer saloon Upon these fee.
o. fer the other to float upon her wings of
steel in Ut the shop door to buy a kreutzcr
worth of ribbons or of - krout" the charming
Diutsch books Which end thef way to this
side of the pond which never freezes voucE-
safe no information.
With tho simple fact that skates are the
common means of winter travel in Holland,
Lapland, Russia, and other iccbound coun-
tries, the knowledge of most skaters end 1t
is here that we propose to take up the subject
and give few wrinkles even to those who
cah cut them much better upon the ice than
We.
1t may NIT be generally known that bcth
The Matte and tile article skates are taken by
other hatlths from one of the countries of which
I've have been .pcakingi namely, ROLAND
yet suth is the case Froih land whose
iie.;ls we aFe accustomed to undtfate, and
from a people whom We ato woht To dlsparago
as sluggish and mmobile, We have taken the
most graceful and alilt of all our sports. IIol-
lasd Is The birthplace Of skating. The art
Dutch minstrcls have turned their harps to it,
praises, and the Germans have joined them in
the song The great Goethe, and IIcrder,
and other bards have celebrated it in tuncful
verso, and Klopstock has said, with the en-
thusiasm of lover, that man Upon skates;
like the Honcric gods, strides with %inGGd."
feet over the sea, transmitted Into solid ground
But though to HJllaid Nc hFs doubtless in
debtcd for The method of skating, which gives
such txq,iisite pleasure, for all art that is in
othef countries merely the necessary mode of
travel, we are perhaps to look to the latter rs
the originators of the practice. which is GER
tainly very ancient, of wearing runners upon
the feet in travcrsing the ice. ...
In the I1d1a, f5nahta Written fofc than
eight hundred years ago, the god Utter is
mentioned With espstial favor for his beatty
aud his skill wth Arrows and with skdlcs. III
those titles tic fudest implements wcre Used
to propel the teafeF dett 'cs and snot The
1tetanders Used !" the sbahkbBhss bf n deer
or sleep, about foot long which they CREASED
that they should not be stopped by drops of
water uboh them" 1t Is amtslns even to
fancy our elegant professors IF tho aft--thc
Paaes, ahd ths WeaTersj and the Van Hooks
-indulging id tlicir peaceful antics, ,ioncha-
lantly rolling backwards cutting a spread
eagle, Or joining iii the may ntricacies of a
waltz, OF 1tadtills; apcn the shinboncs Of
an innocent lamb!
Skating was ropular We aFc told in Edin-
burg and Ldiidtn several Centuries aso; yet
in the age of Shakespeare it could have been
but little known, or that great observer of all
the manners and customs, businesses and
pleasures of the men around him world not
have failed 10 notice it, and we find no i,,eii-
ton Of skates in bis Works.
TIE French have always beef nation of
lunovat1rs, ahd accordingly We find intro
dused in Paris as eafly as 1s1g, rev kind
of Skate, made for ruhning Upon the ground.
TBis 10y vas furnished with three little brass
wheels; ltstead Of f'ithcrs, and was capable
of bcing very tiimbly employed in executing
tie more difficult pedal niaheuvres After a
time they came to be used upon tho French
stage, and the opera OF lie Prophctc" in
cluded ballet of skaters who, being very
skfful excited universal admiration. Such
an innovation would be very popular, at leas
while it remained novelty, upon the board.
Of our own theatres These Partisan opor;
skates evidently suggested the paror skates
which have lately been extensively introduced
in American families.
1t is matter of sincere congratulations that
no city in the Union, although mary are ia.
vorcd for longer period with frozen waters
so beautifully described by Thompson as
' Liyid tracts, cold cleaning on the morn"
can produce larger number Of skaters, OF
more skilful ones ehau our own, nor, judging
by the interest witch is taken hero in the
sport, shall We soon have reason to temper
tlyis assertion. Besides our own glorious
s;tEuy1ETl, When frozen, as fine field of ice
as the country can exhibit. We have ponds
and parks IL abundance. Thc fashionable
resort of last season, the ice at Thirty-frst and
Walnut streets, bids fair to be as popular
again, and near by it are the Almshouse
meadows, covered with water; and as thc
amour prop1e of the well-to-do will NOT BE-
offended by contact With the Paupcrs.; *Ho'
are not furnished with skates, The nScadows
will be attractive to many. esPe tfalfy ss no
gatskecper is by to demaad ore's q Quarters