The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-01-20
OTTAWA FREE TRA DEK: SATURDAY, JANUARY 90 1877
Winter Sports.

Mot often" says an writer in Apptcton,' ID Tue
GENIAL DAYS of early and late summer or even III
the ,orrid heat of its middle months, do we re-
coll winter with pleasure or wish ourselves sur
rounded by its scenes; while, on the contrary
the dark hours of the long winter evenings arc
often cnllvcned with "reminiscences oil o"'''9
weather, the fireplace is adorned with drled no"
ers and every indication Of returning spring Is
eagerly welcomed" II is hard 10 be ehlhusias'
Tie over winter its frosts and snow, freezing ana
thawing, slush, wet and dirt Even whlIe Vlc"
ing winter through the all-beauty-seeih% eyes VI
Burroughs, reading his charming winter sun
shine" wandering with him among the suou'oS
of Washington, studying under his deHght'u'
tutorage the SNOW walkers" his majesty hihg
Reward and the birds Of the season, the recol-
lections of wet feet singing cold fingers, frost
bitten ears, aud other dscomoitS Will
come back, and make us long for the Ills we
know not Of" In bright summer days, instead oil
"bearing those we have 10 say nothing OF taxing
pleasure in them. The future, however, is al
WAYS golden.h ued; which perhaps may account
for any desire on our part for the coming OF
spring and summer fori ever there was pleas
ant, enjoyable winter, the presents one. IL has
been almost like the winter Of Burroughs-a
season when nature, if not beautiful, is at least
sincere-nothing is hidden in winter; season
like the results to be practically OF hard times
return after a career Of splendor and prodigaI-
lty to habits simple and austcre" season full
of outofdoor pleasures. Burroughs was great
waker-his order the great order OF Walkers ah
order to which few of our pleasure loving people,
il would seem, belong, their idea OF winter pleas
ure not being ten mile dash on foot across tue
| Long Bridge on TO the Virginia hills Inc aV'
erare Ottawaians idea OF outdoor sport is sleigh
ing, and quite rightfuly too, for such treat as
we ave had in this sport during the week III "
tawa is rarely offered. We can walk at other
times fer pleasure, but just now we ENJOY The
gift of the snow 1t is hard to recollect when
sleighing was better in this part of the country
or when it lasted longer. We can almost appre-
cate the stories our fathers told us OF the sleigh
ing of the homes among the hills Of the east
! or the tales we have read Of the long months OF
seighing in TIE world about st. Petersburg,
where all the world travels on runners. The
present week since the snow Of Sunday and Mon
day, has been specially lively on the streets All
manner Of turn outs could be seen from the dug
out" the jumper, and the "whats.it," to the full
rugged double cutter; and drawn by all manner
of beasts and creeping things" from the festive
mule with the harness "thrown" on, 10 Coopers
stylish tandem which "laid 'em all out" on Tues
day. Wednesday especially was the gala day of
the week, when, during the afternoon, the sight
on Columbus and la Sale streets was brilliant
indeed-a grand boulevard in miniature, alive
with fast horses and fancy cutters, whose fast
travelling caused not little anxiety to our indul-
gent City Marshal. he course was down Co.
lumbus to Mil street. thence up La Sale, both
Of which streets were full OF people, especially
school children, whose parents should take them
In hand and give them instructions on the dan
ger of stealing rides in ,heir reckless way. The
Marshal did what he could to prevent too fast
trayelin-, but, bless you, what rights have City
Marshals the people, when there are fast horses
TO be shown? In The evening the streets were
quite lively, the air being filled with the sharp,
shIi,l sounds OF numIeress bells; occasionally
too, the melancholy sound of the provincial COW.
bell fell on the ear like the rcmembrances Of
bad dream; now, with all its narrowing melody
in loud relief; soon, In soft melancholy tones, as
in the far distance it carried its yillainous salute
to other long suffering ears. At last, far in the
night the mule Was given rest, the bell ceased
It's tininabulations and all took the rest long de-
ferred and the small boys who perpetrated the
smartness went to bed happy in having created
a sensation. At present writing, Thursday night,
it would seem that it was well that we had our
fun on Wednesday, for to day it has been thaw-
ing rapidly with every appearance OF keeping it
up" at the same rate, which will wind up the
sport in a very short time.