Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1871-03-02
aSlisceIIa II E q It q i.
Aunt Keziah's Skating on New
Years Day.

It seems to me that Beanyille never
half 50 dead as it is now eryboloy is
stiff in their shells, like a turtle in fro
zen mud puddle, if not more so-and |
am about as dead as any ofem. But |
am going to tell you what happened New
Years's day.
The BeanvilIe folks knowing how aw-
full kinder dull, It's here, concIewded to
cit up a New Years skating party
The mill pond was friz up jest right for 1t
they sed and it would be fine amoOse-
nent.
Lawful heart, deacon. seq I, why l
couldn't skate no more than l could fly !.
I've had the rheumatic good deal, aud
its kinder effects my jints. couldn't
keep my equilibrium on the ice min
| it,
III support you" seq the deacon,
utishiug MS cane = (he went with two
canes aforc his wife died, but sense he's
got to be wildercr, he's throaed one of
them away)'-'I'll see to you. Heziah.
Skating's all in practis. You'd make
L
like your'n shows 10 advantage on the
ice !
Pm ablceged to ye.' seq [; dunno as
[ shall undertake to state any. myself.
but guess III GO down to the pond, and
see the rest ot'em perform, I'm power
full fond of seeing folks enjoy THAR
selves
That's right Hcziah, SEE the deacon
III come for you by eleven o'clock, sar-
tin ; and mind you, dress up warm seq
he, and with an afeckshunit squeeze Of
the hand, he departed.
Sarah Ann didn't want me to go anear
the pond but told her that so long a
anybody else was alive, they'd better let
folks know it. | don't hold to this dead
and alive kind of works I'm one Of the
90 ahead kind.
[ dressed myself in my green cash
mere gownd, and red shawl over my
shoulders. l took my umbrill for l
didn't know what might happen. and its
allus best to be prepared for immergen-
cies
The deacon arriv at jest the apinted
hour, aud give me lis arm to esquolu me
down the hill to the pond. He had his
cane III his left hand | had my umbrlll
in my right hand, and the arms that
were at liberty we hitched together. /
shouldn't have allowed him if it hadn't
been so tremendous slippery.
The pond was lively enough, tell
you All BeanvilIe was there, hopping
aud streakilg 1.-THE master It was enutt
to make your head dizzy to see how they
flew around on the ice.
Elder Tapley and his dignifed wife
was there-he with his skates on, and
both ofem sailing along as slow as though
the world reyolved round on its axletree
only once in thousand years. Dread
full stuck up, proud feeling folks, TIL
Tapleys is!
stood and watched the skaters
spell and [ felt jest as if | must have
finger in the pie. 1t was no sarsice to
stand there doing nothing.
Deacon, seq T. 1 don't b:eeve but
[ could skate as well as the tastes of'em
Pm good mind to try it.
oh, do seq he; IN be delighted to
assist yon I've got my skates, and them
of my son, Daniel in my pocket, and
with that be produced them. sot down
on the snow and be strapped Daniels on
my feet, and then on with his own.
Then he took hold my hand, and we
stcped out on the ice. Gracious marsey,
how felt. Aeemed lest as. if [ was
standing on the top OF two sharp sticks.
about fifteen feet Highland my head
went round like the rim of spinning
wheel. Jest as soon as as l attempted to
move, left foot few rite round tother one,
and if it hadn' been for my umbrlll, that
[ stuck iuto hole in the Ice, ! should
have been upset on the spot.
| 'Curridge,' seq the deacon hold on to
me Pm sure footed as a cantelope and
by grace .ous, l shouldn't think he was,
for there come little gust OF wind, and
took atfeck in my dress. | grabbed tight
err onto the deacon-he stuck his cane IN
to the ice, and gave little whirl found,
and the next thing | knowed, | was sail
ing off on my own hook and the deacon
was down-with his head in a fish hole,
and his heels and cane in the air. Some
BODY fewed to the rescue. and tried to
turn about to see if he was hurt, but
lawful goodness. couldn't turn 20
more'n you could make world. lc'e
got under way, with a fair wind in my
sails, and dead ahead | had to 60.
The boys on the shore gave three
cheers, | hourished my umbrill in respons
and run ahead.
I went over the falls at sweeping
rate, and after that the ice was leetle
kind of down grade. | never went so
fast before in all my life Them skates