The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-04-17
WINTER SPORTS-IN RUSSIA.
BeyyltchinS Beauty In Furs and SNOW
Banks ON 'sRutter Week."

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A writer reports from st. Petersburg,
in Russia, during what is called Mas
slenitza" or Butter Week, the week i'm
mediately preceding Lent. He writes that
it is devoted ID popular rejoicing. Akind
of fair is held on~the Admiralty Place in
St. Petersburgh, and one of its main
features is a couple of huge katoks facing
each other. They are at least IS feet
high, and very steep, and as continuous
stream Of sleds furiously dashes down the
CLASSY side, the spectators wonder why
serious accidents are Of such rare occur
renee. Here ladies are seldom seen, or
femals of any class; the SPORTS too rough,
and onlv now and theI one of the fair sex
will intrust herself to professional coast
er, many Of whom hang around to initiate
unsuspecting strangers into the bewilder-
ing mysteries of the sport. A favorite
mode of coasting with the Russians is ly-
ing stretched out on the stomach, but it
takes considerable nerve to face the mad
turmoil in that way. ..s-
My own experience in this national
amusement was gained at private party
at house in the suburbs of ST. Peters
burg, with spacious garden attached to
it. The evening had been passed in So
cial games and occasional dances, but all
the fun was evidently regarded as merely
preliminary or Introductory to something
better in store Occasionally caught u
phrase, which, pointed to something
which every body. looked forward to, but
I was entirely ignorant of its nature, and
presumed it to be tableaux or theatricals.
Finally, at about The hour OF ten, a gener-
al call for furs and wrappings arose, and
in q few minutes the whole company had
passed into the garden. The moon had
Just risen, and its pale beams revealed
the unshapely = forms of snow covered
trees and shrubs, the tops only of The lat
ter protrudiug over the thick bed Of snow
with its glittering crust In the center
OF the garden / soon discovered the at
traction which had caused us to forsake
the warm and lighted rooms-two katoks
of moderate heightloomed up before us,
and number Of s1eds were strewn about
ready for use. A general pairing off took
place Immediately, and in a few montmes
the sport was in full blast.
1uS TWO pldticl4AS ldCCIi ciilC1
and the trackes ran side by side, so tina,
the parties would dash past each othe,
amid laughter and shouting. I looked
around for vacant sled in order to try
my hand at the game, but just as was eli
ming the steps to oae of the platforms, was
informed that no gentleman could be
permitted to ride alone on such an occas-
ion, and was quickly provided with a
passenger--a young lady from the coun.
try. endowed with considerable cmboa-
point. Without possessing the least con-
fdence in my skill as a steesman, was
somewhat comforted by the thought that
the wellrounded form of my passenger,
made still rounder by ample fox-skin
robe, would not be liable to suffer any
Serious damage in case of mishaps. With
the utmost nonchalance adjusted my
sled at the very edge of the dazzling,
shining and glittering incline.
1t IS necessary that the steersman
should seat himself first. etiquette being
entirely waived on the katok, but when
the fair Anna Ivanovna dopped down in
front Of me with the grace and ease of a
snowflake, though trifle heavier, and, to
use the slang phrase, "cuddled up to
my manly breast with a glance full of
charming conidence,m innate modesty
and difhdence caused me to recede lit
, tie, and, as was already seated on the
extreme edge, there was a fall, scream
and laugh, and the whole delightful per-
formanee had to be gone through with
again. At last we were both seated, and
the sled adjusted, as immagined, with
the utmost mathematical precision, so as
to run straight course to the end of the
track. Full of confidence, I gave the
start, and, with an impetus that almost
took my breath away, we dashed ahead
to land in the snowbauk On one side, only
half way down the incline.
The force with which the sled struck
the snow caused it to overturn, and my
fare and rolled down the snow bank to
the level. My profuse apologies seemed
to be altogether super6uous; the partner
Of my disaster was none the worse for it,
and only remarked that it was very
naughty of me toSplay that trick the first
time. The innocent little bundle of furs
thought I had upsetus on purpose. With
some misgivings on my part the expert
mcnt was repeated, with nearly the same
result, and by that time il .dawned upon
the Other participants in the fun that they
had ''greeehorn" among them, and plans
for mischief were concocted accordingly
One of the gentleman approached me and
observed that seemed to be bewilderedbJ
the crowd dashing down before me and
beside me and that they would give me
chance of descending alone, ahead Of
them all. .05.' .-..- ~ ..
The company accordingly assembled
on one of the platforms, and took my
place once more on the brink with nv
fearless passenger before me. The sup.
pressed laughter and the mischief spark
ling in everybody's eye might have warn
ed me that some plot was atoot, but un-
suspectingly and carefully launched my
sled. Exactly what followed I cannot
tell, and would not care to enlarge upon
if could. In less than second we had
reached the level, and there my sled
struck broomhandle, or something OF
the sort, and with jump seemed to fly
from under us, while we glided' a piece
down the track On our own responsibility
my companion clinging to me for dear
life; and then there came a shock, and
then another, and / don't know how many