The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1873-02-05
a FULFILLING ADYENTURE-SAYED BY
OLD GORONATION.u

n IHhALLfNG ADV FED BI
II =, OLD CORONATION"
/
1t was-I don't remember the precise year
but it was when was about seventeen years
old, and when lived in the New England vii
hge where / was born, and from which had
hardly ever been away.
II was the day before Thanksgiving the
only holiday that New England knows mnch
about, and about which the rest Of the world
knows SO very little. For three nights before,
the cold had been very severe for that time Of
the yenr, and the newly 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 go to church and eat the feast that
had been so long in preparation? That was
the question asked by my strong, earnest, old
friend, who had come from Boston to spend
Thanksgiving.
"Skate of course, !" I answered.
But why not try the ice tonight ?" he
asked.
| could see no reason and so we bound on
our skates and flew, as it were, over the CLASSY
surface of the pond to the cove, about which
We're 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 women and girls, take suitable
provisions for picnic, place them 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 sleighs and skates, and those
that were destitute of either united with some
of their neighbors. 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
making! shudder to think of such bolster
Gus sport, with an impending death SO very
near The sport was over at length, the APP
pies 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
&C. And so the company was breaking up in
to little knots as we came.
'.Tie all the sleighs 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 ranged 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 shout and whoop, such as In
dams give when rushing to battle, we started
on the ice. The line, first straight or waving
little where the poor skaters were soon took
the form of crescent and, with clamor of
voices and the grating Of skating 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 sleiglls. We had not proceeded far be-
fore perceived that the ice was bending up
in front of us, and could scarcely hear it
crack among the noise of the skaters. spoke
not word, but looked intently into my COM
panon's face. only thought that so long
as we kept in motion as we were then doing
we might pass the terrible danger. But
knew very we'll IL the true state of affairs was
discovered, a panic would spread along the
line, some skater would drop out, and then
the slcighs and their precious burden must
sink to the bottom. ft
cannot forget the horror Of that moment
"a moment that seemed an age. ! was faint
myself but l only shuddercd lest some skater
should fall. / could not speak for fear; but
almost feared lest the other voice should stop,
and the cracking of the ice should be heard by
the women, who would be sure to scream. My
thoughts were on God my eyes were fixed on
the face Of my friend. l was fairly drawn
along up the curving ice, that seemed to rise
higher before us every moment. Cold sweat
was on my forehead, but I could not loosen
my hand from the rope to wipe it off. My
friend noticed that was lagging--I, who was
SO expert a skater. His eyes caught mine,
and by that sort of intuitve language that we
sometimes have in time Of great dangers, he
became aware Of our dreadful situation, heard
the cracking of the ice, and saw it, felt ii rising
in front of us. fa
What did the strong man do? Flee like
coward from the dangers he had brought us to
and escape to the land? Did the alarm seize
MIN tlab hdu o'ciPo"cieo mcF Nai oVhci-
wise. Raising his voice so that it could be
heard above the din Of the skaters and the
merry voices of the women, he shouted
IAN sing, so we can keep better step all
sing Coronation And without lowering his
voice, he sang:
| "Al hail the power OF Jesus name,
Itf1Ell 81 Let angels PROSTATE fall. 5fasa
Bring forth the royal dadcm,
| ~ And crown him Lord Of all" t
The order came so unexpectedly that few
joined in singing the verse; but when he came
to the next stanza almost all the voices were
heard. l felt sort of relief when the soprano,
altf, tannr and Lass xoices all strIIclr the