The Waynesburg Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 1867-18??, 1868-02-19
Sslstt Atadina.
niGa JiNns ON sRArLs.

Everywhere, in all sorts Of news
papers, | had read Of glorious skating
fun-Central Park skating, Schuyl-
kill, and Schuylkill Park-Damond
ditto-private ditto--the grand fun
men on skates, boys on skates; syl
phides in scant skirts, steel-shod, and
skirring away over the ice-the--tht
thunder! the very reading gave M
the ice fever, and in the deirium con
scquent upon the sudden attack, ! re-
solved on taking an ice cruise myself
Why not? What was to hinder
| had never navigated that sort o
craft, It's true. But then I'd been OF
the water, and under the water, al
my life-ando on ice, too, some. Hahn
| killed seals, and chased white bears
for weeks togethpn On ice?
Women could skate-so the paper!
said. So did everybody else when
inquired of 'em. | could skate! Wha
was the reason | could not? The only
thing I'd ever seen women do that
couldn't, was to hook her own dres
aft, and carrying six feet breadth O
sail thro' a twenty inch doorway
Yes, SRI could skate; and | wa!
bound on an ice cruise.
There was nothing to prevent til,
expedition from being fttel out a
once. | was lounging about the Navy
Yard, detached from everything, al
acquantances inclrled, waiting or
ders. Dgusted with bar rooms, de-
testing thcatcrs, what was | to do fo
amusement? Why, skate of course
All, yes i! the very thing, by Jove
Why hadn't | though of that before
I'll have cruise directly, or sooner
if possible. No--I must have tht
tools first, and started up town to fins
'em.
brought up in front of a big win
dow, on the starboard side of Chest
nut street going towards Schuylkill
where they had more different rigs o
sliding machines than You can scC
national flags in Gibraltar. Know
Jug about as much Of the Qualification,
t the different patterns as COW doe:
t chronomcter time, went inside ant
sEel for a D1ir ofskates,
"What kind do you prefer, sir?'
"Oh, | have no preference, Give
ne the best you have"
"Yes, sir" and the clerk passed. out
or inspection a pair of BIAS '-clad
steel clippers, with more gilgios and
'unning rigging to 'em that there is tc
u French s.oop Of war.
"These are the best, are thcy?'
"Ics-docidedly! Just get on tc
them, sir, and you'll 60 everywhere
and anywhere, like patent lightning
II you don't find it so, bring 'em
back, sir, and I'll refund your money!
"What's the price,"
"Fourtecn dollars. Very cheap
sir"
Didn't believe that, Of course; lut
invested the amount, and made sail for
Fairmount.
Found superb skating. Everybody
said so-ohIy those that called it cle-
gant. splendid magnificent! There
was regi neat ofmen a battalion OF
dimity, and a whole brigade of small
Graf, on skates, skivcring, scooting
and cutting all sorts Of tancics on the
ic'; everybody laughing, chattcring
VIII oping, skyl7rking, aad skittrling
in Ill directions an don't wond \
newspapers and every boly else call il
glorious fun.
"Have your skates strapped, sir"
said an itiuerant boot-blAck, about the
height Of a walking stick.
"Do you understand it, Bub?"
"Oh, yes, sir, strap all the ladies'
nr en-"
"Ah, hah! Do, oh? Must have a
Iy time of it. Would like the blrth,
ySrlf. There you are. Go ahead,
"" and | sat down on Blackic's
|X, about couple of iathoms out on
e ice.
Whiz-like q rocket, went by q
reat, strapping long-legged chap,
with cigar flying jibboom, and
swinging his arms like a frigate's head
wards in hurricane, with braces all
adrift.
"Oh, ho! So they can smoke ON
skates-ch, 10y ?"
"Lord! yes, sir Everybody smokes
on ice."