Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-02-14
HIGH links ON SKATES.

kill Park-Diamond ditto-privatedit to-
the grand fun-men on skates, boys on
skates; sylphides in scant skirts, steel-shod
and skirting away over the ice--the-the
thunder the very reading gave me the
ice fever, and in the delirium consequent
upon the sudden attack, | resolved on TAX
ing an ice cruise myself.
Why not? What was to hinder? had
never navigatcd that sort of craft, tbs true
But then I'd been on the water, and un-
der water, all my lfe--and on ice, too,
some. Hadn't killed seals and chased
white bears, for weeks together, on ice?
Women could skate-so the papers said
So did everybody else when / inquired
of 'em. / could skatel What was the rea-
son | could no,2 The only thinCsld ever
seen women do that could6'f, was 10
hook her own dress aft, and carrying six
breadth of sail through twenty inch
doorway Yes, sir-I could skate; and |
was bound on an ice cruise.
There was nothing to prevent the expe-
diion from being fitted out at once. was
lounging about the Navy Yard, detached
from everything,all acqusintances included
waiting orders. Disguised with bar
rooms, deiesting theaters, what was 1 to
do for amusement Why, skate, of cOursel
Ah, yesl the very thing, by Jovel Why
hadn't thought of that before? Jll have
a cruise directly, or sooner, if possible
No-I must have tools first, and started
up town to find 'em.
brought up in front of big window,
on the starboard side of Chestnut Street,
going towards Schuylkill, where they had
more different rigs of sliding machines
than you can see national flags in Gibral-
tar. Knowing about as much of the quail.
fcations of the different patterns as COW
does Of chronometer time, went inside and
asked for a pair Of skates.
'What kind do you prefer. sir?'
'Oh, have no preference. Give me
the best you have
Yes, sir, and the clerk passed out for
inspection pair OF brass-cad steel clip
pers, with more gigois aud running rig
ging to 'cm than there is to u French
sloop Of war.
These are the best. are they?'
'les-decidedly! just get on to them,
sir, and you'll 90 everywhere aud any
where, like patent lightningl If you don't
find it so, bring en- back, sir, and I'll
refund your money
What's the price?'
Fourteen dollars. Very cheap, sir
Didn't believe that, Of course; but in
vested the amount, and made sail for Fair
mount.
Found superb skating. Everybody said
so--only those that had called it elesanil
splendid! magnificent! There was regi-
ment of men, battalion Of dimity, and
whole brigade of small craft, on skates,
skivering, scootisg, snd emitting al sorts
Of fancies on the ice; every body laughing,
chattering, whooping, skylarkmg and skit-
tering in all directionsi and don't won
der newspapers and everybody else called
it glorious fun.
Have your skates strapped, SIR said an
itnerant boot. black, about the blight Of
walking-sta
DO you understand it, Bub?'
oh, yes. sir, strap all the ladies' for
EN-
'Ah, hail. Do, oh? Must have a jolly
time Of III Would like the berth myself.
There you are. Go ahead boy and sat
down on blackie's box, about n couple of
lathom's out en- the ice.
Wiz-like rocket, went by q great
sirapping, long legged chap, with a cigar
flying jibboom, and swinging his arms
like a frigate's heanwards in a hurricane,
with braces oil adrift.
oh, hol So they can smoke on skates
-eh boy2'
Lord, yes, sir Everybody smokes
on ice.
Exactly. And so I fired upon prin-
cipe aud shipped it for the cruise.
Urcbin announced skates all ataunto;
and took fifty cent fractional fee.
Here boy-hcre's another fifty.
Just allow me TO sit on your box few
minutes, till | get the run Of the Dayiga-
ton
Yes sir-you can set there till get
somebody else to strap.
So | sat there studying ice navigation
by dead reckoning, till directly little pet
ticoat craft, in yellow trousers, skirts to
her knees, red belt Russian cap, and arms
akimbo, swooped down, and checked up
right in front of me. There she hung for
a minute, quiyering like, and balancing,
just as u fish hawk does over his prey; aud
all the time cycling me with dancing
twinkle Of her jolly black eyes.
a challenge for a race, sir! Catch me
if you can!'
Little Dimity lifted her left foot tri-
fe bent right knee slightly, and made a
graceful curve, the bottom Of her skirt
just brushing my nose, and off she went
like flying fsh-ze.ee .st-ztl--swing
ing from side to side, her tartar skirt sway
ing hither and thither, like the folds of a
spanker brailed in with tie shiphead to
the wind.
80. hol That's challenge, is il? and
that's the way to skate? Thunder | can
skate! Anybody can skatep
But | couldn't though, whatever any
body else can do. l accepted Dimity's
challenge, aud her practice on ice. So l
bounced up from that backing box, lifted
left foot a little. bent right knee, and
stuck my arms akimbo, but didn't cut
curve. did the next best thing, how
ever, and cut spread eagle Port foot
slid due south east. and the star board one
north west, till realized those spread -out
pictorial impossiblities on circus bills. 1
wondered if my boots and skates would
ever become shipmates again.
'Hullo, mistert musnt try to skate all
over both sides Of this ere pond at oncen