Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1871-02-02

School House was situated ON the top
of one of those hills, and Immediately
in front of the door was as nice a.
"sliding bank" as could be found, and
you may rest assured that it was kept
well smoothed down in Winter. When
no snow feil, we would carry water of
evenings, if the master had gone, and
pour over the track, and by the next
morning it would be slick as glass.
One evening after several buckets of
water had been put ON the track, Ike
Mite said he knew where there was a
long board, slightly turned up at one
end, and if some of the rest of us would
come soon in the morning, he would
would go with us and get it.
The next day at noon the board was
brought out and placed on the track.
Jim Kreg was appointed chief engi
neer, and placed ON the front end. Be
hind him sat about twenty boys and
girls. Those who couldn't get on the
board held on to those who were ON it.
"AH aboard" shouted Jim, and in a
moment the "Hoopenhizer" was mov-
ing out gradually, but the instant she
touched the ice she flew like an arrow,
leaving half of her crew behind. Those
who fell on the track went sliding and
rolling, no difference which end fore
most, in grand confusion.
1t was agreed by all that the ''Hoop-
enhizer" was complete success, and
that the track must be enlarged, and
more boards furnished. The next trip
no hangers-on were allowed. The en-
lgineer showed her off, and in doing SO
got her head turned little to one
side, but it was too late to change her
course then. Before she was halfway
down the slope she was going sidewise,
but soon swung around stern foremost,
and started fair for a stump that stood
near the track. The crew yelled like
pack of Injuns, I" but it did no good.
The Hoopenhizer backed fair into the
stump and sent her crew tumbling in
every direction. There were bloody
noses, bloody fingers, blacked eyes, torn
coats and trowsers, dresses half torn off
the girls, and hands nearly frozen. The
timid boy who had taken the rear seat
for safety was much disappointed on
finding himself piled up against a
stump, and SO badly stunned that he
could scarcely move. The Hoopen-
hizer went on over the bank and lodged
among the bushes below. 1t was de-
cided to give her one more trial, and
if she didn't do better she would be
ruled out as being nuisance. Accord
ingly, she was brought back, and Ike
Mite mounted her as engineer. 1t was
difficult to get crew, but finally a half
dozen of-the more daring ones boarded
her, and away they went like flash,
over the banks across the road, and into
the bushes. Part of the crew tumbled
off as she went over the bank, and the
rest stuck to her until scraped off by
the underbrush. This was the last trip
of the Hoopenhizer. She was after
wards brought out and used as a See
saw. .iil .Eia -. -,r,s ei..I.. 1-t.fl
Sleds and short boards were now
used. These would only accommodate
two persons, usually the boys would
each take girl on behind him.
| Among the girls there was one whom
we all hated most intensely, and it was
our delight to get her on board ito
bog" and dump her into the snow
banks at the foot of the hill, even if we
had to go in too. Often was poor
"Green eye"l buried SO deep that she
would be almost smothered before she
could get out.
Sliding on our feet was next intro
duced, and many of us tested the capac-
ity of our skulls to resist sudden con-
cussion. AS far as we know now, none
of us ever got our heads cracked, or not
badly at least. We didn't care much
for skinned shins or sprained ankles,
but our boot-soles were getting the
worse of the ware, and how would we
ever be able to satisfy our parents that
we hadn't done it sliding or toboggin-
ing. The chances for a thrashing were
certainly good, yet the temptations
greatly outweighed it, so We slid away,
not caring cent whether school kept
or not. The girl that was good slider
had the most beaus, and the boy who
could slide down the long track without
falling was considered brick.