The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1871-03-25
THE VALUE OF A HOOP SKIRT.

Thrilling adventure on LII nc Sna
Plain-Breaking Through the Ice Two
Miles from Shore--Heroism of IA Young
Lady-Hoyv She Saved Her Lovers
Life.
PLATTsBURaH, n. Y, Feb. 2O-An IN
cident 80 romantic and unusual, and
with denoument SO pleasing, occurred
near here one day recently, that send
the particulars to you. Lake Cham
plain, on which this place is situated,
is one of the most beautiful sheets of
water probably in America, and Cum
berland Bay, where one ct Tie most
brilliant naval engagements of the war
of 1914 was fought and won by Com
modore McDonough of the American
fleet against the British under Commo-
dore Downie, furnishes one of the
grandest skating parks or ponds one
could wish to see. 1t is the favGrite re-
sort of the young ladies' and gentlemen
of this vicinity on moonlight evenings.
One evening short time since young
lady and gentleman of this village, who
had frequently been skating on the bay
before, went out upon the bay, but be
lieving in the old axiom that "TwoO
company" went to m unfreguenten
part, where they could enjoy the skat-
| ing and each others society llnmolested.
After skating for some little time near
the shore, the gentleman proposed that
they should go further out where the
ice was smoother, to which she con
scented, and they accordingly ventursd
out ebout two miles, here they found
the ice in beautiful condition, and the
gentleman was proceeding to do the
grapevine, forward and backward roll,
and many other fancy figures only
known to accomplished skaters, when
suddenly the ice gave way beneath him,
and IN moment he found himself
! struggling in the water and unable to
extficate himself, the ice breaking as
fast as he attempted to raise himself on
its edge The young lady, true to her
womanly instincts, began to scream at
the top Of her voice. but the privacy
they had sought had taken tnem beyond
the hearing Of ELL who could have been
O. service TO them. He besought her
TO go to the shore and endeavor to pro
cure assistance, but she well knew he
must perish before she could get back,
even If she found no difficulty in pro
curing assistance Then an ,Stea came
into her head, end sha immediately put
it in execution
She first took of her jacket and dress,
| and tying them together undertook to
reach him with one end bat 4 Vas too
short, as the yielding Ice warned he,
when she moved toward him End rn
deavored to throw hin one end What
more eeuls she do2 She hesitated a
moment, then slipping off her CATERS,
I HI ~ -, 4 l.
end of the dress and jacket, and yet IT
was too short. Meantime, the Young
man was rapidly becoming exhausted,
and if she WAS to save him no time vas
to be lost For 8 moment hst hands
disappeared IN Tie drapery about her
waist, and then something fell on the
ice abou: her feet-lt was her hoopskirt.
This was quickly severed into half
a dozen pieces, and edded to the
jacket, dress, and stockings. and. to
her great delight, this made the line
long enough to reach him ffave}y
she tugged ct one eisd II s. Shilt. ne
clutohea the other end with the grin Of
q man Who knew that that was all which
I stood between him and eternity In q
few minutes she landed him safely 81,
the solid ice, and then the red Jacket
and dress were wrapped about her as
best they could be, and the two started
fer home, where they arrived without
being noticed by any one. Few we're
the words spoken on the journey home ;
but they must have been to the pur-
pose, as the wedding suits are ordered.
/ and before the ice shall sliBapHna, r. d,
our beautiful lake this kpIing they VIII
/ be married,