Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-03-07
A SKATING INCIDENT.
Breakine Through the Ice of Lake
OhampIain-A Young Lady Res
cuing Her Eover-When a Hoop.
skirt Became Useful

breaking Through the Ice of Lake
OhampIain-A Young Lady Res
ching Her Esover-When a Hoop
skirt Became Useful.
Lake Champlain is one of the most
beautiful sheets of water probably in
America. and Cumberland Bay, near
Plattsburg, where one of the most bril-
liant naval engagements OF the war ct
1872 was fought and won by Commodore
McDonough. of the American feet,
against the British, under Commodore
Downie, furnishes one of the grandest
skating parks or ponds one could wish to
see. It is the favorite resort of the young
ladies and gentlemen of that vicinity on
moonlight evenings. One evening a
short time since young lady and gentle
man who had frequently been skating
there before, went out upon the bay, but
believing in the old axiom that ''two Is
company" went to an unfrequented part,
where they could enjoy the skating in
each others society unmOlested.
After skating for some little time near
the shore, the gentleman proposed that
they should go further out, where the ice
was smoothe to which she consented,
and they accordingly ventured out about
two miles. Here they found the ice IN
beautiful condition, and the gentleman
was proceeding to do the grapevine, for
ward and backward roll, together with
many other fancy figures only known to
accomplished skaters, when suddenly the
ice gave way beneath him, and in a mo-
ment he found himself struggling in the
water and unable to extricate himself, the
ice breaking as fast as he attempted to
raise himself on its edge. The young
lady, true to her womanly instincts, be-
gan to scream at the top of her voice, but
the privacy they had sought had taken
them beyond the hearing of all who could
have been of service to them. He be-
sought her to go to the shore and en-
deaVor to procure assistance; but she well
knew he must perish before she could get
back, even if she found no difficulty IN
procuring assistance. Then an idea came
into her head, and she Immediately put it
in execution.
She first took off her jacket and dress,
and tying them together undertook to
reach him with one end; but it was too
short, as the yielding ice warned her when
she moved toward him and endeavored to
throw him one end. What more could
she do2 She hesitated q moment; then
slipping off her CATERS, both stockings
were soon tied to the end of the dress and
jacket, and yet it was too short. Mean
time the young man was rapidly becoming
exhausted, and if she was to save him nc
| time was to be lost. For a moment hel
hands disappeared in the drapery about
her waist, and then something fell on the
ice about her feet-it was her hoop-skirt
This was quickly severed into half a dozer
| pieces, and added to the jacket, dress anC
stockings, and, to her great delight, thi!
made the line long enough to reach him
Bravely she tugged at one end OF 1t
while he clutched the other end with TIT
| grip of man who knew that that was al
| which stood between him and eternity
In a few minutes she landed him safely
| on the solid ice, and then the red JACKIE
and dress were wrapped about her as hes
they could be, and the two started TO
home, where they arrived without being
noticed by any one. Few were the word
spoken on the journey home, but they
must have been to the purpose, as tn
wedding suits are ordered, and before tn
ice shall disappear from our beautiful
lake this spring, they will he married.