The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1874-03-24
Allisrelh,ln ~ :.
e'n;(From the Danbary Nexsl .y3ar
The, Modern Martyr Oh Ice. ;,

81 esnAFrom the Danbafy NeWs} .g3aafa
.e The Modern Martyr OF ace.ief
The glare of many colored ligiits
above, ,.and the glare Of the sheet ofTliceH
below, dotted here and there with scores
Of swift gallauts and graceful lassies.I
made an entrsncing picture I found my
way down TO the ice, and stood on the |
brink of the intoxicating delights Sfnlly |
enioying it, My early educationy !. on
skates had, been ,Wofullyl neglected. I'll
never so fully realized this as when
stood ON the edge of the pond with my
feet firmly fmbcdded insthe snow.of that,
December \ evening, and looked + at thu
lights, the people, and the fun. Very
lean legged men circled. whirled, and
SKINNED before me. A very short,squat-
ly.looking boy bore down fromssofic-
where, and took mp position in front OF
me. He had pair of skates dangling.
from his arm, and something else not
quite so large dangling from his nose
He was queer-looking boy When he
stopped, he seemed to shut himself up
like a telescope. His head settled down
upon his shoulders, and his body came
down upon his legs as though it had an
intention Of breaking down those valua-
bile members of society," He evidently
had something heavy oaihis mind,asHe
6rummed his heels oa the ice before me,
and looked absently at the gayety. all
around him. While studying him, |
commenced to feel an oeerpdworiag de. i
sire to get out on. the pond and dlatin
guish mvself, although 3 ! had no very
well defined idea of howl, was to do it.
NV gaze alternated between his skates
and the ice Tor some fine. I have since
Thought that the boy wasstiired by some
one to take up hatrposition,Ebat - bad
no thought Of the kind at, The time mr- ~
| Such thought Then would have been
worth two hundred dollars coming when
lit did, it was damage to me- aaa q
Finally,I hailed the young man With
a view to uiodntingnhis ,skatos.iiH He was
corrupt to the Core, and q twenty-five
cent stamp overcame him like summer
rain. He threw down his skates at my
feet, and turned his attention to tire
stamp. He then held it up to- the light,
and then betweenahim and the light;
-lthen beIrubbed it between, his fingers ~
i Its genuineness satisfied him, and be put
lit away behind his clothes somewhere.
iS"Is your heels bored p he asked. i'if
| "What de you mean by that FL said.
',"Wbv., ft,rsthe curks on the skates"
he answered. looking at me. curiously,
u / felt that had said something ought
|, not to, but | told him to putlon the
skates, as I had the lffieumatismm inhm,
wrist 3assav sdi 81 a bsja.sNlaa sGw
I l sat down on tile snow, and he went
to work. He was long while doing it
The snow. was uncomfortably moist, anl
my coat Mss too short to be of any- use
/ sat there long enough to'haye absorb
ed all tue moisture within a yard .abou
/ me. When we got through he told m
to get up on my feet. | got part way
9 tup, and then it happened to occur to nj
! that this wassthe first time l had eve
e been harnessed to two skates at once
n The reflection was welghtier than wcul'
seem possible, and sat down a.e.,.,s
4 "Guess you never skated for a living
$ said the boy, taxing noid Q, nay faaa-
1t "Not that remenoer,Tlf saio' 1alh'
I ly..a l9fss 2gei ?al spdi 81 ~
r 4o llles him assist me tony leet, last
a party of young folks went skimming y,
e The owner OF The skates was a philat
n thropist IN MS way. ne potn.ea..eo :.
y party, and SAID theylwerc sNa''',s 'fouu
nj the Sponst on a@agens ana assess NY y, =, !,
% to run over them. aau a'i co9e \ \
TO resist e desire 70 SlafHsI SHI 10 .e1sts cnass u
q party ana run over .9sm lsa 'ou. uiaaa5
ID to repress II ~ leis SO nce Oo.Is'oh y, =,
70 feet, taatl 'told MN u 4uesseai - ,wpu
re: start Out aioMas otsap potheea "
I'd particular ~ tho'shl y 7w1pln seqYife VI
" effort 70 start Oh nps !. IVY =.
While was ueeidlng aoout slloo'if
a across the pond like a comee'l 'lana mai
ni ing outia spread eagle 10 ths very csps
\, Of the ieesra sudden move q h,ae y
: ! sAass qlsefte.s ~ a,.I.,, a,.;n m HiJ,Ii
't' instant 1 was LOOKING AZ tne IAN
through my legs anu pumping my ne
no feroclousiys 7aga'nse'' tife, ,ace a'us o., :,
isl prsedme, ana fnssfeSteai ehe pss5ii =
Id more SOFAS ! neg n fpy outslt S tS'nn 8 lai
hand portion q tne nalf .nat saIn, lnp.ne a
an ago adorned anu pro.ecte.' 'iiS sos,p.
d. wv ny, what on earuh uf' yoe,uoi.u
! sFfor3 ihe asked looking AZ 'me M,e'hfcp I,
III s'deraole pneasinesss anu ho'qfnssl q
~ ~ hand on ms heaa, 10 sai,l31g ,nr b d.
~. 81 didn't make any answer. >
=. that lhast created sensalloh, oes'u
NJ my head acned. = de nelpeu me ups I.
1noticed. that ne didns sloWg Ihe emu
ed siasm ne broaglt oat on, sths 'ufs1s se4' elio
ute and also, that when q; ne got .un me- 20 q ?
TO, pendicular, lie showed an lncilnation
n t'la9oid me. ~ = 0''l,''' ~ :
/ he Kept one eye on me- 1'e otuef'
volved toward the shofe. Inns ahsel
Id me. ssoi2 tse gaF -. ~ "a
mi ~ won hurt yon' ~ sau-o''iss jga
ant 7~"l don't want you 10, he ansNers re
md HWny don you say py mo' laea'.
ley asked. . salh6 paa 'a9i
18th 9@because alnslgot mnchl ilsifs aa
ain told enongh TO wear'a was.
up; 'It was useless ito arguenwl!h ~
no snd besides the skates were acling .:
,rse tile uneasy. My ytknees were waoh