The Portland daily press., 1872-01-02
"COasting."

BY HENRY WARD BEECHER.
Mr.. Bonner-How long is it since you had
a sled? Did you ever have one? Perhaps
you were brought up where there was no
snow. If so, pity you. No one can be a
perfect man, rounded ont into a perfection on
every side, who has not had chilblains, been
rubbed, snow-balled, and who has not been
upset on an icy hill and rolled over, sled and
boy, in promiscuous heap. You may put
on all your armor, and make believe that you
are as good as another, but if you never slid
down hill, you shall not be elected honorary
member of the Hyperborean Boys Sled Club.
Blessed be New Bedford! What now? you
will ask Moved with a sympathy for the
welfare of the boys, once upon time the al
dermen set apart hill street in that beautiful
and, ever since, blessed city, for the especial
use of sleds They devoted it to all boys and
girls under seventy years OF age. One street
there was where sleds were not obliged to
keep out of the way of wagons and horses and
policemen, and angry old gentlemen, who had
been tripped up, or sent flying over the boys
heads. Nay, night after night, snow was
carted upon the bare spots, or water sprink-
led when it would form ice.
Was not this an enlightened view of an al
derman's duty? Ought not every boy to
vote, when he grows up, for such wise
counsellors? May the winter iall lightly on
their heads, and the summer sing sweetly
over their graves, while nOdding flowers beat
time.
We have just had sent to lis from Pennsyl-
vania new sled, and, as sure as you live, its
name was, in large letters, Dexter. But, fine
in every other respect, it has one original fea-
f,,rn thx,o of N iron ruH1aF Is in
geniously fastened between the runners in
front, with landlords attached in such a way
that the boy can, steer with IL or use it as a
brake. In this way one may mouAt his feet
upon the sled and sit as free as king, 4llld-
ing his sled as easily as all kings are kno@R 10
guide their kingdoms.
Perhaps no improvement will ever enable a
sled to give more pleasure than the rude ola
rattetraps that country boys knock up ior
themselves. This was the most prlmitiVe
form of our recollection: two slaves OF a par
rel, fastened together with a cledt at each end,
the board al one end being wide enough to
furnish a poinf of contact for the owner.
These REQUIRED some skill in management;
vet. as they could be snade in ten minutes,
whole school, upon sudden snow, could be
started down hill in an hoNr or two, with
such laughing, screaming ana pauoohg as
would wake the seven sieepers. Next ip rank
are the board-runners, shaped out OF SOLID
| plank. and fioored over strongly. Coarse,
| ungainly and heavy, as they were, some great
| sliding has been done ON them. IL Is not the
handsomest horse or sled, or editor, that gets
along best-is it? Then came to our admir-
| ing eyes the framed sleds, with open sides,
| fine runners well shod with steel, and at
length iron-framed underpinning all through.
To all this is, in modern days, added blaze
of paint, and names lofty as the stars. We
admit that great Improvements are made in
beauty, and in convenience; but is any better
| sliding done on these superfine sleds than
used to be, and still is, done by the old, rude,
! homely lunmores of country make? (For
| that word see Webster.
OF all positions, the worst, the most mex
| cusable, is what used to be called belly
I plumper, or when one lies down upon his
Sled, with head to the front, steering with his
| toes The position is ungainly, the head Is