New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-27
WINTER SPORTS AT QUEBEC.

UIh lbh t1L Ohb' ~
SLEIGHING AND SKATING CONTESTS.
BEAUTY or THE WINTER LASDSCAPE-A PICNIC
AT MONTMORENCi FALs-TnE sKAIINd TOURNA-
MENT AT TIE RINK-yARIEIIE5 OF FANCY
SKATING.
IRON OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBuSEf
QUEBEC, March 1S.-It is one of the etcr-
nally dc things that one should write from this hgh
attitude" about frost and snow and Ice 80, nena ~
give brief description OF seighride have Justre'
turned FROM We drove out the st. Foye road almost
to the little dollhouse, OF the most dehsht"
sleigh roads It was ever my good fortune to come
across and the pleasure Of motion not tho only en-
oyable feature OF the drive. The ar had IN H. OF the
part OF old Winter, that promise OF reenngwhlch gave
a SprngLke softness to the langud wind whlcn our
fl ght stirred and brought out into high relief between
the white valley and the pale say. the evergreen
clad mountains. Ali the pictures which rise every
where around onebecl Every time take common
place little stroll fad myself refreshed by them ana
could shed tears my wandering feNOw-countrymeh
and women to think they only see them In Summer.
What is so pathetic about their loss B that they don't
know what they MISS for recall sundry seItcongrau
atons on the part Of Summer visitors, that they could
fly from iebec before Winter set 10. even remember
with feelings Of deep having agreed Win
mi sguided American far as TO say penslYely you
bet" when lie stood regarding the Old city, ana 5au'
'Tnis will do well enough In Summer, Dut WhaI q
deadly place 10 must be IN winter Anu NJ" Ut '"''
late day want to withdraw my support of any such
sentiment and saw that 1t is not eady place at ALL
Indeed l think Quehecers have reduced Winter to
scence-lf I may be allowed 10 sup into
30 pat phrase-and through their sociapiiiy'
driving dancing and plcnicng have shorn IL or many
OF its horrors. Picnic" in Winter sounds oddly TO
those used to the American acceptance OF the word
Here a picnic q drive, perhaps out To Montno-
renci Falls, and after you get there tramp BY moon
light on snow.shoes down into the valley ascent up
the ice-cone (Which as everybody kuows,s Orhed Ny
the freezing spray at the foot OF the falls ana lowers
up hundred feet in favorable seasonSh WHICH
you accomplish by stepping into little notches IN
the ce and when get high up that you expect to
be killed in going down. you get tObOggin," which
guided by gentleman, and go down at rate that
makes you resolve TO live better life in the fuure-f
you have any left to ve-Yhen you once more on
firm footing with the world But OF course these meli
choly reflections pass away when you ind yourself
safe in the pleasant ballroom near by, where you dance
half the night.
But here have strsyed from the ST. Foye road away
out to MOntnorenc when did not intend to do any
thing Of tho kind, but meant rather to tell how
turned across to the S. Louis road and drove over
snowdrifts which Is Is feet high, and over
road which level from fence fence. Indced. the
fences were entirely hidden. ANA 1t SEEMED Ike one
wide cxpdnse OF meadow. IL takes careful driving lest
the horses get on into the unbroken snow Tor 10 get
thea Ou would be no Joke. But we had sofo passage
across these snow neids. dnd soon came dashhg nome
ward past the RINK, WnCn stands Just outside Tie 81
Louis gateway. Aud that reminds me TO tell you some
thing about skating tournament heI there last Tours
day evening. winch surpassed any nAs hdd ever yct
AS one would naturally suppose Canadian takes
kindly To SKATES and one OF the most beautiful seAts IA
agiaabo presented wncu the Rink fun OF tue excel
lent skaters Tor which Quebec Is famous. o. TnurSIdy
however. VIC only fancy skating ana racing upon
the ice and Of 1t alone have now only space speak
The contest opened with race on snow-shoes, ANA IL
required great deXterIty over the gdrnS Ice on
these unwiedy traps but the skaters equal % the
occasion and went gathering oil IN fine STYLE Inen came
| a
together, with t1e legs next each other securely tied
| plight managed TO get the Ice with an
amazing rapidly, though cannot commend
barrow race began ami 10 was very funny and very
| irving test OF bOh skill and strength TIe human
sit down ON ms left foot anu extend his rgnt one Tor
ward sort OF propeller. then turning bis arms up
ward they formed respectable enough hdnGcS and were
seized by his companion, ana 1t was funded OH anna
the cheers Of the spectators The hurdle race Nue.
aud the Hat race In the last milo was made IN
minutes, which pretty good time when one lakes
into consideration that IL took lG rounds OF the rnh AMI
four times that many corners 10 turn TO make 1t.
But what created merrlment than anything else
daring evening the barre. race" T1ere
five young men and boys ready for This. Bsiore The
signal was given, 10 flour barrels, frOm Will Ia the
| heads had been removed, had been hand or
their sides on the Ice, i've az each side VI the
riuk At the signal TO start, away the skater,
dashed, and when about 80 feet from tue bur
rels Frustrated themselves upon the ice and slid head
foremost into the yawning mouths OF the barrels Al
least their evident intention TO slide III, tut they
dld not always DO IT, m sorry to say for tue 0arreh
often rushed away with thcm aft they half was
ill., ana went careenlhg along the CLASSY surface awiuy
mixed up Win an dDunAahce oI arms ana IeSs vines
prOiruded nom either end. noticed thar the most suo
cesstu soon as they had their head AMI shout
dCls into the barrel turned tGelr DAG rs aud
dug the heels of their skates III aud kicked /. away
The hero Of the evening was Charles Miller Of Qicbcc
he carry ing the greatest lrIZs. Montreal
well represented by Thomas Frdsier 20 i one o
the finest aud graceful skaters and wht
TOOK the first prize in the backward race.