River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-04-18
WINTER SPORTS In RUSSIA.
Bevvitching Beauty in Furs and snow
Ranks on .sRmtter Week.

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 to popular rejoicing. A kind
of fair is held on the Admiralty Place in
st. Petersburgh, and one of its main
features is couple of huge katoks facing
each other. They are at least 10 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 sport is too rough,
and only now and Their one of the fair sex
will intrust herself TO a professional coast
er, many of whom hang around to initiate
unsuspecting strangers into the bewllder-
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.
My own experience in this national
amusement was gained at a private party
at house in the suburbs of st. Peters
burg, with a 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
phrase, which pointed to something
which every body looked forward to, but
was entirely iguorant of its nature. and
presumed it to be tabeaux or theatricals.
Finally, at about the hour OF ten, gener-
al call for furs AID wrappings arose, and
in 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 he lat
ter protruding over the thick bed OF snow
with its glttering 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 height loomed up before US,
and a number of sleds were strewn about
ready for use. A general pairing off took
place Immediately, and in a few montmes
the sport was in full blast.
The two platforms faced each other,
and the trackes ran side by side, SO that
the parties would dash past each other
amid laughter and shouting. | looked
around for vacant sled in order to try
my hand at the game, but just as was eli
ming the steps to c1e 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 embon
point Without possessing the least con-
tidence in my skill as 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 Ivanoyna dopped down in
front of me with the grace and ease OF a
snowflake, though trifie heavier, and, TO
use the slang phrase, scuddled up" to
nv manly breast with glance full of
charming confidence, my innate modesty
and diffidence caused me to recede lit
tie, and, as was already seated on the
extreme edge, there was fall, scream
and laugh, and the whole delightful per-
Torrance 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 a straight course to the end of the
track. Full of confidence, | gave the
start, and, with an impetus that almost
took my breath away, we dashed ahead
to land in the snowbank on one side, only
half way down the incline.
The force with which the sled struck
the ow caused it to overturn, and my
far, a | rolled down the snowbank to
the yel. Ny profuse apologies seemed
tc altogether superhuous; the partner
o disaster Was mono the sgorse for it,
IS aIy remarked that II was very
IL lty of me % play that trick the first
~ The innocent little bundle Of furs
thought / BID upset us on purpose. With
some misgivings on my part the expert
meDs was repeated, with nearly the same
result. and bv that time il dawned upon
the other participants In the fun that they
had "greeellornr among them, and plans
for mischief were toncecsed accordingly,
One Of the gentleman approached me and
observed that seemed to be bewiIderedby
the crowd dashinr down before me and
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