Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1865-03-10
HIcHJINKS ON SKATES
BY cLEw GARNET. Z. S. n.

Park skating-Schuylkill and Schuylkil ParE
Diamond ditto-private ditto--the grand
lun-men on skates, boys on skates; splendid
sylphides in scant skirts, steel-shod and skirr-
ing away over the ice-the-the Thunder! the
very reading gave me the ice fever, and in tbt
delirium consequent-upon the sudden attack
l resolved upon taking an ice-cruise myself
Why not? What was to hinder? l had
never pavigated that sort of craft It's true
But then I'd been on the water. and under
water, all my life-and on ice, too, some
Hadn't killed seals, and chased white bears
for weeks together, on ice?
! Women could skate-so the papers said
So did everybody else, when l inquired of 'em
1 could skate! What was the reason I could
not? The only things I'd ever seen a women
do that couldn't, was too hook her own dress
aft, and, carrying six feet breath of crinoline
sail through twenty-inch door way. Yes,
sir-I could skate; and was bonEd on an ice
cruise
There was nothing to prevent the expedition
from being fitted out at once. l was loungins
about the Navy Yard, detached from every
thing-all acquaintance Misunderstanding
| orders. Disguised with bar-roOms, detestng
| theaters, what was to do for amusement
Why, skate, of course? All, yesl-the very
thing, by jove! Why hahn't thought of
that before? I'd have q cruise directly, or
sooner if possible. No-I must have the
tools first, and started of up town to fad 'em.
brought up in front Of big window on
the starboard side of Chestnut street, going
towards Schuyllzill, where they had more differ
ent rigs of sliding machines than you can see
national flags in Gibrater. Knowing about
as much of the qualities of the different pat
terms as COW does OF chronometer time,
went inside, ard asked for pair of skates.
"What kind do you prefer, ar?"
"Oh, have no preference. Give me the
best article you've got"
Yes, sir;" and the clerk passed out for
inspection pair Of brass, clad, steel clippers,
with more gilgies aud running rigging to 'em
than there is to a French Sloop of-war
"These are the best are they?"
"Yes, sir-decidedly! Just get on to them,
sir, and you'll go everywhere and anywhere
like patent lightning! If you don't find it so,
bring 'em back, sir, and I'll return your mo-
ney."
Whats the price?"
Didn't believe that, of course; but invested
the amount, aud made sail for Fairmount.
Found superb skating. Everybody said so
only those that called it elegant splendid
magnificent! There was a regiment of men, a
battalion Of dimity, and whole brigade of
small craft on skates-skivering, scooting, and
cutting all sorts of faueies on the ice; every
body laughing, ehattering, whooping, skylark-
ing and skittering in all directions! and didn't
wonder the newspapers. and everybody else,
called skating glorious fun. ~
Have yer skates strapped, sir?" said al
itinerant bootback about the height of a
waiking-stich.
"Do you understand it, Bub?"
"Oh, yes, sir. 1 strap all the ladies' skates
for EN-"
"Ah! hal Do! eh? Must have jolly time
of it, Would like the berth myself. There
you are. Go ahead, boyr' and sat down on
Blackie's box, about a couple of fathoms out
on the ice.
"Whiz!-like a rocket, went by d great
strapping, long-legged chap, with cigar fly
ing jtbboom, and swinging his arms like frig-
ates headyards in hurricane, with the braces
all adrift.
"Oh, no! So they can smoke on skates-eh,
boy?"
Lord! yes SIR. Everybody smokes on the
ie."
Exactly" So fred up on principe,
and shipped it for the cruise.
Urchin announced skates all atanto, and
took fifty cent fractional" fee.
"Here, boy!-here's another fifty. Just al
low me to sit on your box a few minutes till 1
get the run of the navigation"
"Yes, sir-you can set there till git some
body else to strap"
So sat there studying ice-navigation by
dead reckoning, till directly little petticoat
craft, in yellow trowsers, skirts to her knees, !
swooped down; and checked up right in front
of me. There she hung for minute, culver
ing like, and balancing. just as a fshhawk |
does over his prey; and all the time cycling me
with jolly twinkle in her dancing black eyes. |
a challenge for race, sir! Catch me il
you cam"
Little Dimity lifted her left foot triAe,
bent right kaee slightly. made a graceful |
curve, the bottom of her skirt just brushing |
my nose; and off she went like flying fish
ze ee-e-e st-zit!-swinging from side to side,
her tartan skirt swaying hitber and thiIher,
like the folds of sPanker Drained in with the |
ship head to windl
''So-ho! That's challenge, is it? And |
that's the way 10 skate? Thunder!-T can
skate! Anybody can skate!"
But couldn't, though, whatever anybody |
else could do. I accepted Dimitys challenge,
however, and her practice on ice. So bounc-
ed up from that blacking box, lifted left foot |
little, bent right knee, and stuck my arms
akmbo But didn't cut curve. [ did the
next best thing, however, and cut "spread |
eagle" Port foot slid due southeast. and star
board one northwest till realized those
spread out pictorial impossibilities on circus
bills l wondered if my boots and skates
would ever become shipmates again.
"Hulo! mister, you mustn't try to skate all |
over both sides OF this ere pond at oncel" |
growled an old commerciallooking chap, as he
checked up long enough to put in the rem0n-
STRANGE against my ice monopoly.
Il say, Mister Saltwater, couldn't yer lift |
yerself amidship bit, so we can sail tween |
yer legs9" piped young scamp, file-leader to
a string Of twenty juvenile skaters.
Don't try to skate on both feet at once,
my dear sir!' advised a sensible, Christian \
looking young mau, who came to my assis.
tonoa and set ma on even keel opca moro