Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-02-05
Che family Circle.
Saved by "Old Coronation"
A THRILLING ADVENTURE.

1t was-I don't remember the precise
year-but it was when l was about seven
teen years DID, and when l lived in the
New England village where l was born,
and from which [ had hardly ever been
away.
1t was the day before Thanksgiving, the
only holiday that New England knows
much about, and about which the rest of
the world knows SO very little. For three
nights before, the cold had been very Sc
we're for that time of the year, and the new
y formed ice on the pond was as smooth
and clear as looking-glass. What were
we all to do the next day, the gladdest,
merriest day" of all the year, besides
to 20 to church and eat the feast that had
teen so long in preparation? That
was the question asked by my strong, ear
nest older friend who had come from Bos-
ton to spend Thanksgiving.
Skate, of course" answered.
But why not try the ice to-nigh p he
asked
could see no reason, and so we bound
on cur skates and few, as it WERE over the
CLASSY surface of the pond to the cove,
about which were the piles OF pine tree
boughs. Once there, we conceived the
idea of how grand it would be to skate
back to the village, collect together the wo-
men and girls, take suitable provisions tor
picnic, place them all In sleighs and on
hand sleds, draw them to this place, and
eat a supper on these rocks, amid the glare
of the burning tree tops. We were not
long in carrying out our plans, for almost
every house had its sleigh and skates, and
those that were destitute of either united
with some of their nelghbors. An hour,
and the little lake was covered by the
merriest skating party that it had ever
witnessed. And then the supper, the
bonfire, the songs, the merry max
ing | shudder to think Of such
bolsterous sport, with an impending death
SO very near The sport was ever at length;
the apples eaten, the cider drank, the songs
sung, the stories told, and the once great
flames among the resinous pine needles
were now smouldering among the limbs or
lingering in the stumps and roots. 1t was
nearly time to 90. And so the company
was breaking up into little knots as We
came.
Tie all the sieighs and sleds together"
my strong friend shouted, the last to leave
the spot The order from our leader was
soon obeyed Each little vehicle was rang
ed from ten to twenty feet apart, according
to the length of the ropes or leading lines
which we had and three or four skaters
were stationed between them. Then, two
much longer ropes were stretched from
either side of the long lines, OF which some
twenty more skaters took hold. With a
shout and whoop, such as Indians give
when rushing to battle, we started on the
ice. The line, first straight or waving a
little where the poor skaters were, soon
took the form of a crescent; and with a
camor of voices and the grating of skate
irons, We sped over the ice"
| My strong friend and were soon on one
of the side ropes, and we held the place
, nearest to the sleighs. We had not pro.
ceeded far before perceived that the ice
was bending up in front OF US, and could
: scarcely hear it crack, amid the noise OF
the skaters | spoke not word, but look.
| ed intently into my mpanion's face.
only thought that SO long as we kept IL
motion as we were then doing, we might
pass the terrible danger. But | knew very
well if the true state of affairs was discov
! cred, panic would spread along the line
some skater would drop out, and then the
g sleighs and their precious burden mus
sink to the bottom.
q l cannot forget the horror of that mo
q ment-a moment that seemed an age.
! was faint myself, but | only shuddered les
u some skater should fall | could not speat
for fear; but almost feared lest the othe
J, voices should stop, and the cracking of thu
r ice should be heard by the women, VIII
would be sure to scream. My thought
e were on God my eyes were fixed on tn
= face Of my friend. was fairly drawn alon.
. up the curving ice, that seemed to rise high
r er before US every moment. Cold swea
was on my forehead, but l could no
loosen my hand from the rope to wipe
off. My friend noticed that was lagg ne
I, whs was SO expert skater. His eye
=. caught mine, and by that sort of intuitiv
4 language that we sometimes have in tim
It of great danger, he became aware of GU
[ dreadful situation, heard the cracking G
re the ice, and saw it, felt it rising in front c
sr us.
y What did the strong man do? Flee Xix
-, 20 a coward from the danger he had brough
n US to, and escape to the land? Did tn
,e alarm seize him that had overpowered me
al Far otherwise. Raising his voice so tina
20 it could be heard above the din of th
ly skaters and the merry voices of the We
w men, he shouted:
a "All sing, so we can keep better step
- all sing Coronation" And without lower
ing his voice, he sang: -
q, "All hail the power of Jesus name,
OyI Let angels postrate fal
~ Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown him lord of all"
=, y The order came 80 unexpectedly that fe
at joined in singing the verse; but when
re came to the next stanza almost all tt
er voices were heard | felt sort of relic
or when the soprano, alto, tenor and ba
u, voices struck the words -
no "Crown him, ye martyrs of our God,
Who from his altaricalll"
u 4 but [ feared the time when the bass shoul
ed be left to carry line alone.
There were but three or four bass voic
in the whole company, but my friend WI
numbered among them. saw he HUSBAND
in ed his breath for this as strong man saw
st his strength for some great effort. Neve
ng tbeless, could hear, alternating with tt
90 musical words,
nd "Extel the stem of Jesse's rod"
de- the crack ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS crack crack
y. the brittle shell that was between us al
To eternity. 1t was wonderous relief whit
10 four parts instead of one, and hundr'
IN ,r.;oas ;ns.eoa of f,,,- toll mn tho wor