The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1866-02-17
from the True Flag. J
MRS. SMART'S SKATING.
BY CLARA AUGUSTA.


Joshua said | was rather old TO go Into
such childish bi2ness; but don't see no
airhlv reason why an old married woman
shouldn't enjoy herself if she can. Good
ness knows. most of MS has trouble enough
to nut M with-if we have husband ana
children and hens and pigs and things. And
if we can git any enjoyment out OF me-
say we'd orter. | calculate to, myself ana
I'd ike to see anybody bender me 1t II
take more n Joshua Smart! He never
erowed big enutf! No, slr' not by long
chalk
All the folks round about here has gone
into skating. There hain't nobody but
what's had spell at it. Even old Grand
marin Smith, that's gone with two canes this
dozen vcars-she's tried it, and fell down
and smashed her specks. and barked her
nose all to hnchers: and old Deacon Sharp,
that's been blind ever since Virgins barn
was burnt, he's got to be quite II powerful
skater Only you have to clear the track
whom Won soc him coming, cause he don't
turn ont for nobody nor nothing, And he $
ant TO cit to using big words, if he happens
TO hit against anything. The other day he
skated against a small stump in the mill
pond. and Il madden man YOU never seed
lie took it for somebody standing here !:
and if he is a deacon, I'm ready to CIV"
nv Bible oath that he came at it, and INT 1t
several licks with his fist, afore he found ont
that it WASH no one.
All the wimmen folks has been out on the
ice this fall. | never seed such turnout
arore. The way they've done, they We
cooked up enough Saturdays to last all
through the next week, and then they We
skated. and their husbands has staid at home,
and swore and eat cold ylttles.
Law sake! how things have changed since
I was gal The world s a Citing more
and more civilized every day. In a thousand
wears from now, at the present rate OF get
ting along, this air,h will be too good to live
in. and most of us will have to leave, 1t VT
hain,t already.
Why. can remember when gal that
dared to look at II pair of skates was callec
a Tomboy; and you might as well have
served ont a term in the State Prison as tt
have been called that! 1t was an awtu
namcl 1t used to be Il sin for gal to d'
ANYTHING that IL boy did, except milk The
cows and eat pudding and moIasses.
As soon as it got cold enough to triz up,
made up my mind to see what could do i
skating | had AN idea that it wonidn t TAX
me no time at all to larn. All the gals wa
an awful spell lnrnin; but all IN the "orI'
that made 'em so long was cause they ha'
tolinrs q showing of en- how, and they kin,!r
liked the fan. If there hadn been {! ir'Ie
in the neghborhood, almost amy OF CT
would have larnt the whole trade m dire
days.
went over to the bridge, and sold tiv
hounds of butter, and got me a pair OF Skates
IAinl il astonishing how butter has gone up
Never seed The beat of it in all my life
don't pretend to cal mite OF butter to on
house. though we'v GOT three tnrrcr COW
nnJ a now miil's hciEer Joshua grumbl'
like everything; but tell him faint no Us
I'D AS lives he d spread his bread with hi
cent scripes rs with butter. And twon
make no difference hundred years iro
now whether Il man has lived on batter
hog fat. Not a speck
sold the butter, and took three dollar
wor,l of skates. Miss Pike, the MILNE
said ought 10 have "A skating COSTUME -~
wasn't prosperous to skate in a long. tall
eowud and crinoIine.
So. one day | sot myself to work, al
fixed one ! took pair Of Joshuas r
flannel drawers and sot two rosettes OF gre
riblin ONO the bottoms of EN- and thci
took a weller rotlcoat of mine, and sew
Eve rows Of hue braid round the bottom
that: my waist | made out OF red a
brown plaid shawl, and for a cap took o
of Joshua cas-olf s,ovepIpe hats, and
it down story, tied wide piece OF !
ns1ne around 1t. and pulled ou' an {
growers tail and stucH that into the. ir,
OF it. Joshua LATED at me, the master
sed looked jest like an lnjun sqna
but, as he never seed one, dunno how
knowed.
sam JpilSOH Scu ltS u luln lnc ~" w '
Int told him. no; didn't want nobod
handling me round. q finding ont whehc
wore corsets or not. didn't like the sly
7 GUESSED took kcer of myself I'd ali
managed to. I'd took kpcr OF myself thro,
the iondcrs. and The diSpepsy, and the {
lerv morbus and I'd alters made my so
and did my own cleaning. and cues
| could skate without nobody's ass
ance. ! didn't want no little upStar
holding onto me with one armand Iaff'n}
me in t'other sleeve. at the same time.
Sam he whstled, and sed nothing. 1t
dreadful hateful way some folks have of
sulting of ye-that whistle OF theirn.
One Tuesday morning, bright and airl
got my work out of the way; and, dress
myself in skating costume, | took
skates in one hand and long pole to ste
myself by in the other, and set sail for
millpond.
| shouldn't have dared to begin sucl
undertaking any day but Tuesday. Wed
day is alters dreadful day for me! v
I've broke more'n ten dollars wortl
crockery Wednesdays; and Eve sot Il
hens Wednesdays: and ones eggs all