Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1868-02-12
The First Sleigh Ride of the
Season..

=
when the action of the elements af
lords the opportunity, than sleigh.
ing. When there is a good snow path
on the public highways, men, women
and horses are in their glory. The
/ sports are enjoyed as keenly by the
farmers boy who drives a heavy
roadster attached 10 a cum brous cut
ter, with his hands encased in wooden
mIttens knit by his grandmother, and
| his ears protected by a "muffler" of
/ domestic manufacture, as the city
/ gentleman who sports a fancy equi-
/ page and two-forty horse, himself
enwrapped in furs and enraptured
with the sparkling beauty Of a fair
creature BY his side whose voice rings
out IN the frosty atmosphere as clear
and musical as the silver bells attach
ed to the shafts Of his fairy.like sleigh.
! Ihe young man released for a dav
from business, with funds sufficient to
afford his sweetheart a Sleigh ride,
enjoys the moonlight, the sparkling
/ snow, and the soft hand pressure IN
side the muf beyond all the other ex-
/ PerIenees of the year. The horse
tanclers and deyotees of the turf bring
out their fast ANIMALS and INDUCED in
the exaggeration Of which they are so
fond IN regard to the performances of
| their favorite nags. The popular
drives, such as BloomingdaIe road
near New York city and the % Mile
ground between Boston and Brigh-
ton, are the scenes of the keenest ex-
citement on such occasions. The
horses fly and the runners glide with
a velocity both charming and alarm
ing. The whole road covered with
swift teams, and the champion trot-
ters fl ' through them like swift shut
ties among the threads Of a gay color
ed fabric in the loom And when the
noble animals have arrived, with flash
| ing eyes, expanded nostrils and steam
ing sides. at the hotel and are given
over to the care of skillful groOms,
tender of horsehesh and unmercltul
Of fees, how their gallant owners iu-
dulCe in harmless boastings. If one
has beaten another IN the race it
was done by running and not BY
square trotting, aud it another
failed 10 be first at the goal 1t was be
cause the teams lounging over the
road were in his wav. and so they
all are champions, all heroes of the
strife
Sleighine in the country IS I differ
ent affair to that In the suburbs Of
the great cities, although at the pres
ent day almost every village Is begin
ming to put on city airs. An old
fashioned country sleighing party was
IN the days Of our progenitors an
event Of deep Importance as we'll as
rare enjoyment. There were not so
many fur gauntlets or costly robes,
but hearts as warm and Joyous throb-
bed and thrilled under the influence
of the deep sounding bells that were
strung upon the necks and bodies OF
the horses, and when the girls were
capsized INTO snow-drift they had
plenty of warm garments to protect
them, instead Of the airy duplex
hoop-skirts.
It was a number Of years ago-no
matter how many-wEen the young
people Of smart village in the in
terror of tne Empire State waited
auxiously for the first sleighing of the
season. Everything had been pre-
pared The young men had the
sleighs, buffalo robes and all the para
nhernala Of their fast snow teams IN
readiness. and the we'll fed steeds on
y awaited a good day and good track
20 start in the grand village sleigh
ride
Partners had been selected by the
village beaux, and when unfailing
meteorological signs betokeued . snow
storm approaching, the invita- tons
were sent forth and each beautiful
damsel was notified 10 hold herself in
readiness TO join the gay party when
/ the roads should be in good order for
the steel runners. Then the village
was in a state Of excitement, such as
was wont to be experienced only once
or twice a year 1t was a pleasant
thing for the young ladies TO compare
notes with each other and to specu-
late upon their Eallants. the turn-outs,
the style IN which they would be
driven. the ball and supper IN the
neigaborhood town to which they
were going. and the probable results
Of the whole affair for in these annu-
al sleiCh-rl3es hearts were lost and
won and crises arrived in the affairs
ofsUme ofthe couples which Influenced
their whole future lives. Ia the iov-
+ |ous excitement of the sleigh-r;de bos-
oms grow tender, and parties who
had been previously inclined towards
each other. returned from the grand
/ tete engaged for a life-companionship.
1t was customary on shese oeca-
slons TO choose q leader of the party,
and the choice always fell upon the
= smartest " young man. IN town; that
IS, he who combined IN himself the
+ greatest amount Of dash and ability
with personal attrac tiveness. When
I al was arranged, when the snow had
f fallen. the roads were broken and the
/ time fixed for the party to start, i, vas
. customary 10 range the sleighs ,rt:a I
+ were TO he used in the gay procession
. IN the village square on the evening
4. previous to tie ride. there TO remain
until the next forenoon. IN order to
give the public glimP=e Of the lo7.