The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-27
THE BALL UP.
Central Park Invaded by Thousands
of Merry Skaters.
ANIMATED And PICTURESQUE SCENES
Pretty Girls and Lively Boys Enjoy a
Days Good Sport

day of such buoyant merriment and joyous pleasure
to be witnessed yesterday in the Park. And
yet it attraction amusement that was
offered there-it skating-asport which regularly
every winter and sends thrill of delight into
thousand hearts, There had been sufficient scar
cty of the sport last winter to make the opening of
the present much longed for event. For
several days, therefore, multtudes of enthusiastic
skaters have eagerly looked for the rising of the
ball, and up it went nierrily yesterday morning
at eight o'clock sharp. 1t splendid
clear, cold morning, and at that hour the
westerly part of the lake which is set apart
for tho enjoyment Of the sport presented the pleas
ant sight Of q smooth. hard frozen glittering
face, while the easterly half of the Lake (Which is
exposed to the SUM- was only thinly and par
tally frozen Wooden posters. with the ominous
word Danger" were stuck up all round it, Eight
O'Clock is quite early for the Park in this clustering
season. and yet handful Of boys and men had al
ready been waiting for the ascent of the ball. 1t
the pursuit OF glory that had brought them here
with purple faces and teeth chattering with the
cold-the glory Of being the first the ice this
season. They had cautiously knocked their skates
against the margin of the ice to test its strength and
everybody pronounced it quite solid in front Of
the skating house. As the ball few feeble
cheers rang from their lungs Then everybody
TuSueQ IOfWaru, WHICH IL cdlle 10 pitsS
Rubcon of the treacherous ice their preventative
instincts made themselves felt and they halted for
moment go ahead!" cried Of the Park keepers
who was watching them and one. who deserves to
rank the earliest skating champion of this season.
more bold than the rest. launched out with long.
graceful glide and the skating the Lake
open. The remainder followed without
hesitation. and after perfect stream Of skaters
pouring into the Park from all parts Of the city
and made the Lake the Of attractive and
brilliant spectacle.
A LEVELS ALL.
There seems to be something very democratic, very
lcvelling, about skating. The pampcred little boy,
who comes along carefully mutfied up in his seaskin
cap and fur gloves goes in for the sport roughly
and hariously the poor ragged lad with his rusty
old. second hand skates. who has just saved money
enough by selling newspapers matches to indulge
himself in an hours recreation. Yesterday pre-
eminently day for the younger generation. and Of
the eight ten thousand people who dis
ported themselves the ice probably three
fourths were boys and girls of school
age. and among these there positively seemed
to be distinction of class. The elegantly and the
humbly clad children fraternized most freely and
when the millionaire boy got hearty bump on the
ice he very glad If the ragpckers helped him
again to his feet. Girls are always more exclusive
and Of stronger ''arstocratic" proclivities than
boys, and cavorting on the ice they display their
characteristics strikingly they would in work
shop in ballroom. Fortunately for them they
required little assistance; for those who
upon the Iceland there must have been several
hundred during the day-seemed all to be skilled
skaters and rarely did the trcachery of their gentle
foothold send them sprawling on the ground.
THE SKATING AT ITS HEIGHT.
hat. b.x.
O'Clock. when probably over two tn ousand persons
simultaneously upon the ice. They of all
classes OF all conditions in lfe with the exception
perhaps of the ultra fashionable plutocratic who
the keepers say, their patronage until aft er
the holidays But in spite of their ABSENCE the
was animated enough -dignifed, expert skaters
pirouetting and waltzing about IL they were upon
q waxed ballroom floor; rollcking boys who took a
pleasure in starting off with violent jerk and
sendNg their comrades ahead swimming along
like balls; rosy-chceked, blthe girls. their
hands crossed with those of their beaus OH
either side Of them. and daintily performing
their circuits though they knew their every
step was being critically scrutiniszd by the eyes
thousand male spectators; handsome, stately women
gliding along softly on the arms OF their happy hus
bands or gallants; registering young "bloods, who
tried to Guido each other by the dash and chic OF
their movements, and knew well how to skate and
school, who laughing morrily ut each Others
slips, and never delighted as when one had out
stripped the other i'll trial of speed; old gray
fathers and grandfathers carefully holding their
children and grandchildren by the hand they
taught them to acquire confidence upon the ice
trios and quartets and qunets of gay Lotharios
wining bevies Of mrthful and lively bellies and pre-
scntng "a front of eight or ten against all the
other skaters on the akeall these people radiant in
perfect glow OF health from the splendid exercise
with cheeks of the brightest. warnes red and eyes
sparkling with animation. 1t was scene which must
have rendered even misanthrope happy to look at
Later on the crowd Of skaters rapidly thinned out
and after nightfall swarm OF working girls, who
had been occupied all day. came to frolic upon the
lake. The lamps which were strung across the lake
and the few gas lights placed around 10 afforded
illumination which, IL not especially brilliant al
least highly picturesque with its surroundings and
the flying, daring and gliding figures looked like
| many weird, fantastic silhouettes.
HOUSE.
The rcstaurateur the skating house did a roaring
business all day. To be sure. he complained of low
prices and said that where he used 70 get twenty-five
cents in former years he now only got ten fifteen
but IL was easy to see from the huge piles of sand
witches and cakes and the endless rows of cups Of
coffee that kept disappearing, that even at present
| prices his cash box was filing up very fast. The
| voracious Juveniles consumed n vast number OF
penny cakes and sweet stun and at the bar where ale
beer. hot and cold Lemonade. and other light bev
erages dispensed, there also goodly crowd
| all day long. The tables of the eating saloon
/ however, comparatively deserted for, though
the bracing glorious air OF this lovely winter day
magnificent sharpener OF appctites, people as
rule were too impatient aud too much ION the 60
to sit down for their luncheons. The cigar stand
| also well patronzcd, particularly by the "bhoys.
who, regardless of conventional prcjudices skatcd
/
where chairs to let at twenty-five cents hour
(and 81 depOsitl, not much business was done, and
those that went out in chairs generally returned be
fore their hour up for IL was too cold to remain
/ long in sitting posture. II required the active
ercse Of skating to keep away the biting cold to sci
the blood in active circulation and make every
| and fibre tingle with health and animation.
/ PRETTY GIRLS.
II has often been said that look prcttest In
this that particular phase of life. but to the mind.
those who enjoyed the glad sights Of the lake yester
day this truth became manifest-that romping girls
never look pretty as they do the Ice. 1t was
indeed, yesterday succession of cheeks and lips
50 fresh, bright, rosy, that II made wonder
where all the pale and sallow faced beauties Of Broad
| way and Fifth avenue had gone to. What gir-bs
| she even the ugliest on ordinary occasions-woult
| not look pretty when the magnificent air and thu
| Joyous exercise had made her dull eyes sparkle
| her wan checks pnk-and-whitc: her list
less, sluggish mien and gait lively ant
rollockingr II seemed like perfect transformation
to all these merry rosy beauties In cit,
| famous for Its pale women. The very policemen
looked al them with wide, staring eyes, though
| hey meant them alive But after all