Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-04-05
The King of the Coast.

Hill, one Saturday afternoon, with his ne,
Boston sled, and spoke Of coastiug down,
we laughed at him as an affected fellow bu
he had fine. sled-long aud slim, and eo
gantly painted in red and green, and gol
colors with a coat Of varnish on it that wa
dazzling in the sun. Much admiration wa
caused by the sled, and the possessor of j
was cnyicd by all Of the boys, who saw il
him a conqucror
John had set himself up considerably OF
the strength Of that sled. lie had Just com,
IRON the metropolis aud was himself hal
/ source Of wonder, because Boston was deemec
very far of by US boys in those days anc
any one coming from there was rather looked
mp to as travelled parsonage, and his opiu
ion was listened to on all topics that boyhood
was interested in with great Difference. How
much he knew lie could tell us all about
Faneuil Hall, aud the State House, and Bos.
ton Common and here his oloquence OK.
hausted itself in describing that splendid
coasting place, which we received with
open mouths, though we laughed at him a
little in our sleeve because Of the new word
However, we got over that in a little while
and coasting was as common as " sliding "
had been before
But what stories he told Of his great ex-
pl0its with his sled some of them very fun.
ny ones,-and, Of course, we all believed
them. Any quantity Of other seds he had
broken, and he had been perfectly terrific in
tripping people up who got in his way, some
Of whom had escaped by the narrowest chance.
Then there was nothing on the coast that
would beat his sled anywhere. The boys at
this looked at their sleds disparagingly and
they did look inferior beside that beautiful
fabric, with its blue silk cord, seeming like a
hound held in leash, ready to start when bid
den. l should have said that John himself
was handsome, dashy looking fellow, and
was Of class in life as far above the COM
mon boys by whom be was surrounded as his
sled was better than theirs; but there is lit
tie feeling Of caste among boys, and as he
put on no airs, he was gladly welcomed in the
circle, and became at once the lion, as | have
intimated. OF course a sled like that would
whip the crowd, and the honors were accord
ed to its owner in advance.
At the foot Of Mason's Hill. in front of the
Jail, was a high board fence, made of boards
laid lengthwisc, with several inches space be.
tween each and, in the big snow storms from
the northeast the wind would blow through
these openings, and curl the snow up on the
inside Of the fence, like mountain peaks :;
leaving a space Of some feet between the top
and the fence, the snow being blown out al
most to the ground below w,-presenting chasm
that might at convenience, be transformed
into a snow fort, for attack or defense, which
was frequently done.
At the time Of which | write a hill Of snow
as high as the fence had been formed in this
manner, that sloped down gradually on the
other side, toward the hill and it was the
ambition of all to obtain momentum sufficient.
IN sliding down, to run up to the top of this
snow mountain. None, however, had as yet
achieved it.
" Let the Zephyr try it, Goddard" said
Joe Burgin. 1t was the name of the sled.
Then Goddard told US Of his once sliding
down Hancock Street in Boston, and striking
an old colored gentleman between the legs,
tipping him over on his (Goddard's) back,
who carried him. with his feet elevated in the
air, away to the bottom of the hill, and the
dreadful fuss they made about 1t whereat we
all laughed
Try her on the snowdrift," Joe Burgn
again urged,
He accordingly got on the Sled after run
ming little,-hardly necessary, for Masons
hill was very steep, and very icy,-and down
he went. The sled flashed along the coast,
in its gay colors, like brilliant bird on the
wing and admiration grew enthusiastic when
it was seen that he had run up two thirds of
the distance to the top of the drift below.
This was at least three sleds' lengths higher
than the best had gone He came back flush.
ed with triumph
Others followed doing their utmost, but he
dlstanced them all. In the midst of the ex-
cItement, a new conner appeared on the hill.
1t was little Ben" as we used to call him
because he was heavier than any of us and
he came slowly up the activity, putting and
blowing, dragging an old rough-lookiug sled
after him, that seemed to shake as it was
drawn along
Halo, Ben !" cried half dozen voices ;
where did you get that sled is it part
Of Noah's Ark ?"
Guess not, said Ben 81 it has been in
our family too long for that"
We'll what are you going to do with
it?o
"Gwine to slide," said he and if you ken
beat her, | want you to bring on your seds
and do it quick. She can't watt
There was laugh at this, and Goddard
gave his sled a twirl round by the rope, as
much as to say, Look at this, now, stupid,
if you want to see sled, and take your dis
reputable thing ont of the way
Ben glanced at the gaudy-looking affair,
and smiled in a manner that provoked God
dard, who looked round on the assembled
crowd for sympathy. They were all with
him, and Ben's old sled was food for un-
bounded ridicule.
"Take it home and split it up, Ben" said
one
Make hen-coop of it, said another,
'Iis big enough for barn door" said a
third
They all had something to say and they
all were having capital time at Bens ex-
pense, when he said, very quietly
"Well, she isn't very handsome, that's Il
fact but l guess she ken hold her own agin
any of you. That ere is pretty nice look.
ug sled but guess old Claw-hammer hero'll
peat her."
There was a louder laugh than ever at this,
specially at the name but it didn't disturb
iim.
90, you can larf," said he that's nigh.
y easy but the proof of the puddn' is in
,atin' the bag Bring on your sleds. Let's
ICE what this fine chap can do
So the Zephyr was put upon the track
gain, and she went up fully foot higher
han before, amid the cheers of the boys.
" Pretty well done" said Ben I" but now
We will see some Of old Claw-hammer's p'ints.
10 il, now, speaking to the sled.
lie did not run at starting, but threw him
ELF upon his rickety sled, that seemed to
lart at his word. Down the hill he went,
With startling speed--down, and down, and
lown he went faster as he neared the bottom,
vhen, striking tho hill of snow below, up the
led rose to the very top, and dropping into
he chasm, pitching Ben headlong upon the
ence beyond, doubling him up, with the
'reath beaten out of him, where he hung a
noment suspended, and then fell into tho
treot.