The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1865-03-21

Highjlnks on Skates.
Everywhere in all sorts Of newspa-
pers, ! had read of the glorious skating
fun-Central Park skating-Schuylkill
and Schuylkill Park-Diamond ditto
private ditto-the grand f1n-men on
skates, boys on skates; splendid sylpb
ides in scant skirts, steel shod, and shir-
ring away over the ice-the-thunder!
the very. reading gave me the ice fever,
and, in the delirium consequent upon
the sudden attack, resolved upon ta-
king an ice-cruise myself
Why not? What was to hinder? 1
had never navigated that sort of craft
before, tits true. But then I'd been on
the water and under the water all my
life, and on the ice, too, some. Hadn't
l killed seals and chased white bears for
weeks together On the ices
Women could skate-so the papers
said. SO did everybody else, when /
inquired of 'em. Icould skate! What
was the reason couldn't? The only
thing I'd ever seen woman do that /
couldn't, was TO hook her own, dress
aft, and, carrying six feet breadth of
crinoline, sail through twenty inch
doorway. Yes, sir-Icould skate, and
l was bound on an ice cruise.
There was nothing to prevent the ex-
petition from being fitted out at once
/ was lounging about the Navy Yard,
detached from everything-all ac-
quaintances included-waiting orders
Disguised with bar rooms, detesting
theatres; what was l to do for amuse,
ment? Why, skate, of, course! All,
yes the very thing, by Jove! Why
hadn't thought Of that before I'd
have cruise directly or sooner ifpos-
sible. No-I must have the tools first
and l started off up town to find 'em.
/ brought up in front Of d big win
dow on the starboard side Of Chestnut
Street, going towards Schuylkill, where
they had more different rigs Of sliding
machines than you can see national
flags at Gibralter. Knowing about as
much of the qualifications of the differ
ent patterns as a COW does of chronome-
ter time, I went inside and asked for a
pair of skates. -,
"What hind do you prefer. sir?'
60, have no preference. Give me
the best you have got"
eyes, sir;" and the clerk passed out
for inspection pair ofbrass clad, steel
clippers, with more gilgies and running
rigging to 'em than there is TO a
French sloop of war. ~
"These are the best, are they ?"
d" Yes, sir-.decidedly just get on
them, sir, and you'll go anywhere and
everywhere, like patent lightning! II
you don't find it so, bring 'em back,
sir, I'll return your money"
"What's the price?"
"Fourteen dollars Very cheap, sir. +"
Didn't believe that, of course but in
vested the amount and started for Fair
mount.
Found superb skating. Everybody
said so. There was regiment Of men,
a battalion of dimity, and q whole brig
ade of small craft, on skates-skivering,
scooting and cutting all sorts of fancies
on the ice everybody laughing, chat
tering, whooping, skylarking and flying
in all directions and / didn't wonder
newspapers, and everybody else, called
skating glorious fun. .i
"Have yer skates strapped, sir ?''
said an itinerant boot black about the
height of a walking stick.
"Do you understand it, buh?"
go, yes, sir. ! strap all the ladies'
skates for 'em,"
"Ah ha! Do, Ell? Must have jol-
ly time of it! Would like that berth
myself. There you are. Go ahead,
hoy!" and l sat down on Blackie's box,
about couple of fathoms out on the
ice.
| Whiz like a rocket, went great
strapping, long-legged chap, with ci-
gar flying jibboom, and swinging his
arms like a frigate's headyards in hur-
ricane, with the braces all adrift. >
sob, hol So they can smoke on
skates-=eh, boy ?" ii hne ..slacsa
on the ice." nod
n I" Exactly" So I fired up Prin.
cipe, and shipped it for a cruise. m
Urchin announced skates all ataunto,
and took a fifty cent " fractional fee.
.a" Here boy !-here's another fifty.-
Just allow me to sit on your box q few
minutes until l get the run Of the navi-
CATION" aon 'a.
/" Yes, sir--you can set there till !
get somebody else to strap" l5,b
SO sat there studying ice naviga-
tion by dead reckoning, till directly a
little pettieoat Draft in yellow trousers,
skirts to her knees, red belt, Russian
cap, and arms akimbo, swooped down,
and checked up right in front of me-
There she hung for minute, quivering-
like and balancing, just like fish-hawk
does over his prey and all the time
eyeing me with q jolly twinkle in her
dancing black eyes. i.i
GA challenges for race, sir Catch
me if you canp'
Little Dimity lifted her left foot tri-
fle, made great curve, the bottom Of
her skirt just brushing my nose and
off she went like flying fish-zc-ee est
--zit-zswinging from side to side, her
tartan skirt swaying hither and thither,
like the folds Of spanker brailed in
with ship-head to wind.
ESQ no! That's a challenge, is it |?
And that's the way to skate ? Thunder
lean skate! Anybody can skate"
But l couldn't, though, whatever
anybody else could do. / accepted
Dimity's challenge. however. and her