Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-01-24

/ face, singiy and in pairs. There might have
/ been seen the adept Of several winters, and
the novice tHmblsng awkwaFdly over his or
I her new skates. There we're the young and
the DID, the latter no doubt imagining them
selves young;) tbe rich and the poor, the
young lady and the Little girl, the old boy
ia the little hey in round about, all ming
ling together promiseuousIy, ard tumbling
around in like manner. The ice was very
good the air just cool enough, and the beau
ty and grace there displayed tended 10 make
the scene one Of perfect grandeur. With
note book suugIy tucked in pocket, and in
company With friend who, by the way,
thinks himself ''some on skates, We wended
our way to the park, and whilst our friend
proceeded to epioy himself, We took an eleya-
ted position Oh a log, and prepared 70 note
the various phases and positions taken by
the skaters. We had written d5TEn glowing,
aud We are sorry to say, slightly fictitious
account Of The costumes and general appear
aace Of the different groups, and thought of
leaving Tie f,iry scene, but felt that we could
not until We had tried this ''healEhfnl amuse-
meut notwithstanding we entertained a no
tiou that We should afford Imaginable amuse-
ment for the crowd assembled. With a
determination not TO be out.done in venture
some valor if we were in the art ITSELF, we
borrowed pair Of skates aud prepared for
The attempt Al . whole, we stood the pre-
Iimiuary or tyiag-on process pretty we'll,
but cur corus did not. The friend who kind
ly volunteered TO tighten our ''toe-straps
was certainly tender hearted, bat we ere sure
be had no corns, or idea Of the mortal agouy
We endured from his being over-auxious that
our skates should 1T close. We imagine We
feel their gentle pressure yet, and cannot ex-
actly say when we shall get rid of the pain
thus inflicted.
However, after an effort, we gained our
feet, and slid away with something Of the
grace ola spring toad on harrow, aud min
gied with the crowd, .bobbipg around ike
haIfsle II new ground. 10 course Of
time we begau to feel as though We we're i'm
proving and were congratulatiug ourselves
accordingly, when the wind was completely
taken from out our sails. BY the approach of
one of Ewes tair daughters, who accosted
Us with; Do you skate. Mr.. Local We
turned and gazed at the speaker in rapturous
admiration. She was charmingly dressed in
Pitt street store clothes, red mitteus were
upon her dainty hands, and red 'we-forget-
what-you-callit'' covered the crown Of her
head. whilst from beneath the scarlet skir:
peered IN matchless beauty, pair OF faultlesa
feet encased in ten dollar skates. How q
few words from a woman viii take the phi
losoDhY ont Of a fellow She waltzed and
skinned over the ice in all becoming grace,
aud in the goodness Of her heart volunteered
/ to teach us, aud showed US how easy 1t vas
done And here our trouble began. We
/ forgot our achsing corus, and awkward move
ments. being possessed Of but Que idea-that
/ Of Learning to cqt the various ''curiey- cues
/ she and others SO fasLidiously and feariessly
/ INDUCED in. Several couple gathering around
It was proposed that all go up stream in g
string We joined and fouud ourselves
strung along the shore fer several feet OF
more, whilst the rest went ''Nhirlirg on
I with no part Of Us bu; cur hat aud one glove.
Determined not to give itup so. We gathered
/ ourselves up and selected the end of the
I string next time. The whole line moved,
and we he ID cur position firmly, until. IN the
inuoc ence Of ogr nature, we extended our
hand to a Young lady from the Western
/ End ubou. We thought, desired cur assist
ance. rubappjiy for U.s. she was only In fun,
and in an effort to be polite, We lost our
( equilibriuas,- the result was 30 us dis
/ astrous fall. The faint idea Of sudden clap
Of thunder d railroad collision, torpedo
explosion, ght with the Fenians ending up
/ By cur being scalped by the In diaas, foated
/ through cur brain Tor minute or tao, and
/ was succeeded by a brass band in each ear.
whilst q troup Of Eastern End boys held
riotous carnival in the apex Of our cranium.
4 We saw stars iulamerable, whilst an impress
zsoa iert ON the rec resembling d Connecticut
/ buttei-bowI, f0rcibly reminded US Of the
/ weakness Of flesh TO contend with mjghtieF
/ things We arose: family opened our eyes,
and with feelings uuutterable, observed the
cause Of our anguish pieyoHsftiHg away with
/ the utmost indifference. whilst d young adept,
,the scamp. hung TO her both hands aud
''griuued' out his seeming sympathy between
her smiles. We bathed ogr aching head with
snow, meandered carefully to the shore, took
Of our skates, aud soliloquised as follows:
/ Baseball Is 30 wherein point Of exer-
else to skating
,, Both are iailacious in point Of ENJOY
meEti
8. Neither ean be considered chnd's
play
I. Common sense exercise is immeasuru-
bly, superior TO both
8. Evil viii be his fl.e aho trusteth to te-
males on ice hamps aud bruises viii be his
reward and bis end viii be bitter and bard
to bear.
g. Ii be shou ID not be able to stand erect
at all times. and especially upon the frat ef
fort, be might gain for himself the unenvia-
bic reputation of being drunk.
Lastly. He who pIaceth his faith in ice, or
upon skates, or females, on either found doeth
that which viii eventually cause him great
sorrow Of mi1d and soreness Of system.
SeIah
In the neighborhood Of yne hupdred and
seventy FIVE persons we're upon the ice at one
time, between the hours OF three and six
o clock ou Saturday afternoon As regards
the several degrees of proficiency arrived at