The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1875-01-28
I'M. Ouad' on Skates.

You see, sald my IrleHu heSletJ as
he cut "pigeon's-wing" on the CLASSY
surface at the rink, went off on one foot
and came circling around on the other
" YOU see, it is an exercise which brings
ali the muscles into play and must be
healthy. In fact, Dio Lewis says it is
better than riding on horseback"
1t looked so easy and so nice that L
winked at the boy who had skates to
lend, and he came over.
"That's right, old boy!" called Reglet,
as he sailed around with handsome
girl on each arm and a lovely blonde
hanging to his coat-tails- I'll bet
hundred dollars you'll learn all the
fourishes within an hour"
Twas highly gratifed at this express
sion of confidence in my ability, and !
kept hurrying up the boy as he fastened
on the skates. The impudent sauce-box
said I'd better strap pillow on the back
of nv head before / started out, but L
passed the insinuation by in silent con-
tempt.
CHOW, then," said Reglet, circling up
with dozen French fourishes, 1.-THE
main thing is to have confidence in
yourself. Strike right out like pioneer
getting away from a troop of wolves,
and Tll bet a hundred to one you'll
make a skater"
| struck out. / struck in several other
directions besides out. One foot went
to the left, the other to the right, and l
whirled around and sat down. The
blonde young lady came up and said that
| had made a capital hit, and the other
two said that / was certain to combine
grace with muscular effort when l got
fairly started.
l didn't feel much like starting out
again, but had to do it. Reglet helped
me up, said that he could already see an
improvement in my health, and he
warned me to shove my feet as l saw him
do. obeyed. The left foot shot out,
leaving the right some rods in the rear,
and in trying to even up the race little
something struck the ice. 1t was
myself. The back of my head struck
first, and there were five distinct shocks
before the whole of my body got down.
Reglet sailed up and said he never saw
that beaten, and the blonde declared her
belief that 1 was an old skater, and was
lust PLAYING off on them. The rink
danced round and round as l sat up,
and the small boy who was grinning at
ME appeared to my vision like eight or
nine small boys and eight or nine grins.
"Come, old boy, this exercise will
brighten your cheek until your own wife
won't know you," called Reglet, offering
to help me up.
l wanted to go home and sit down
behind the coal stove and ponder and
reflect, but he dragged me tony feet and
the blonde wanted to know if l wouldn't
please give them "the Prince of Wales
flourish" 1 glanced at her and tried tC
smile, and they all edged off to give me
fair show.
"Come, dart right OFF, yelled Reglet
and 1 carefully started my feet out on an
exploring voyage. They hadn't Travelled
over six inches before they got ahead ot
nv body. Ireached out for something
to support me, clawed around, and the
back of my head dug hole in the ice
l thought the roof Of the rink had taller
in and that twenty-eight tons of boards
and shingles had struck me in a heap
but l was deceived. =.
"You struck an air-bubble or you'C
have made a splendid show, " said Regle
as he pulled at me.
The blonde said that l had come
within hairs breadth of cutting one o
the grandest fourishes known on ice
and they wanted me to try once more
told 'em had got to go to a funera
and that l would be back in half al
hour, but it was no use.
"See how easy it is" exclaimed Regle
as he pushed out and swung one LEI
around.
l pushed out and swung one leg.
couldn't pull it back. l tried to and
yelled to Reglet that I'd gived him fft.
dollars to grab me. was too late.
clawed, and waved, and tottered, an
fell, and when came to my senses agai
Reglet said that if would go throug
the same performance every day for tw
months, he'd warrant me that l coul
eat hundred hot biscuits per day an
never have touch of the dyspepsia.
lam in bed yet, and friend has wri
ten this from dictation. The doctor say
. that two ribs on the left side are fra'
!; tured, the collar bone is broken, th
bones of one elbow smashed and th
spinal column is three inches out of tru
but he is laboring away in hopes {
mending me up by spring.