The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-01-28
SKATING AND SLEIGHING.

T. d
The Park Lakes In Puli Blast-Groat
ExcisemeEt on the Firth Avenue Pond
skating In Brooklyn and Hobok ON
sletghInx I'm she City and Elsewhere.
| &c., &c.
To the inexpresdbe delight of the skating world at
least that portion Of located the island OF Man
haitian the cold weather, predicted In the HERALD,
continues and all are dorded opportunity Of indulg
ing In the mos, heahfu and certainly most popular Of
winter sports-skatng The seasonhus far has been
all that could be desired and as there are yet two
months TO be told before sprY with her vefdanf dress
can make her appearance, 1t Is highly pro"oc
many pleasant days will yet be had on the smooth sur
face Of the ice on both the New York and Brooklyn
ponds. Yesterday perhaps Que OF the finest DAY
We have yet the ce The rush to all the ponds
was immense. The ice everywhere was in FIRST class
condition. the air mild and almo st balmy, and In
the afternoon the rays Of old Sol played among the gs
tenng skates and put their in the best oil good
humo1.
THE PARK LAKES.
All ready here for the skaters yesterday morning
and almost contemporaneous with sunrise host OF per
sons occapied the different ponds. Indeed it wonld
appear that OF the sporting fraternity sleep On he
ice, early they out It's surface Up 10 etcyen
in the morning the lakes occupied By the regular
enthusiastic skaters. Thcn they not unplaasasfly
crowded and the old hands stretch their legs to the c
without let hndrnnee until the Indy skaters com
mencc to arrive, which they do about twelve O'Clock
Up TO this hotM however excellent the sport may be.
the ponds lack interest for the spectator They look
bare incomplete and decidedly duh and unattracve II
requires good sprinkng OF our fair Gothames with
Derbcs and red SKIRTS to give them interest And wnen
they do como they do 80 In earnest From twelve 10
three o'clock the ladies' carnival on the Park ponds.
The sex is exceenty well represented both in numbers
and Of course attractions and they along over the
surface Needless OF the many admrng eyes fixed on
Their graceful motions They take admiration as what
guile regardless of what the sierner sex may think
of them. They cut into the ice lightly with the
those ogh, eyes pierce the soft hearts and heads Of
susceptible mascunity, and how much more ainscuk
are the weands thus made to be led in and healed
than the fluctuations in the ice, which little flooding
and nights frost will render as smooth as ever
Then at three o'clock the school boys who have thought
OF nothing all through the day but the coming pleasure
begin to arrive Very differently do they when
Creeping Ike snail unwllngly to school" They come
a merry, laughing crowd the sstchel gone, and In It's
place the frightened skates dan Cling from their
II would seem they thought tho pond about - be
couniry-so anxious are they TO be on the ice.
And when they are once on the surface, having
buckled their skates they 'rush it, putting
many Of the sports BY the rapidity Of their
Then about six O'Clock there Is a slight falling on in
beers. The sport appetizins and few much for
II as 10 rcnqnish supper, they leave obut only for
time. Many OF them are satisfied with cup OF
coffee and cruller procured in the refresh,
their skates till the signal s given TO close
the ponds. These the skating fanatics. From
mechanics and those engaged in trade during the day;
those who seek enjoyment and unable to find il at
the theatres owing TO the fearful decadence OF hronic
art as represented at most Of the Now York places
Of amusement, they rush TO tho Park and
Of hours the ice without fear Of being shocked by OBJ
scenity and vugarsm disguised by false representa-
tions OF characters which, they ever dd exist e rem
Bile manner In which they are portrayed These
e % aAgP but not 'S .So
sro!ss! . one some ass & i Mary ,Asss
her TO accompany him since the commenced
She Is SERVANT gait and good specimen OF tho class
friend, the baker land Biddy our Irish Biddy trips
down the Mall with that grocers clerk from round the
corner honest enthusiastic Faynan' ever stood
by co. Mahony Of the Comcrsghs'
And when he gets the aforesaid Blddy the Ice and
sne executes pScsn wing IN the mS s graceful s man
sound heard not unlike kiss She falls again and the
act Ia repeated TIL at last Bddy says "Arrah get along,
We muvathcrer; shure yer thrppin me up yersif that
Thrv are fashionable crowd not by any means
order Of the Old World tho respected citizens Of ic Now
one Of the down-trodden groundllngs Of England, tue
Up 10 halfpast ten O'Clock the work goes bravelv on
and hcn the ponds have 70 be- cleared Thsse outside
the ice do not mind the sr ~ e
but those who have been engaged since sun
rs. 10 the dispensing Of refreshments arc iiaols
till tho next morning Then tney unbuckic the skate
srnps, unscrew tho skates and rush for the cars the
horses groan under the almost nbuman loads they have
10 draw while those inside jammed In the most
miraculous manner-some sixty or seventy human
beings men, women and chiidren. not gruinsling, but
rather pleased with the crush.
Yesterday there probably 50.0o0 persons on
the three lakes during the afternoon and evening and
II rudy compilations and happy countenancesb be correct
indications, every person present enjoyed him OF herse
The Park will be open usual thu morning though The
ball, according to rule will DO lowered Al sunset
THE VISITORS TO THE PARK.
We pubsh the official list o. the vsioi 10 the Flrk
since the st inst, which think Will prove Of con 70
cruble interest readers II will be that there
have been fourteen days which there has been skat
ing the largest number OF visitors having been on the
10th inst when nearly sixty-hye thousand perspns
passed the gates Of which number probably over