The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-04-02

above discovery. Orig, has also come to
the conclusion that he would sooner toss
about restlessly on feather bed till the
ROSTERS crow than to pass the night in
the wash-house snoring like a policeman.
WINTER SPORTS IN RUSSIA.
Bewitching beauty in Fnrs and Snow.
Banks ON ButteF Week.
A writer reports from st. Petersburg,
in Russia, during what is called "Mas-
slenitza" or Butter Week, the week inn
mediately preceding Lent He writes
that it is devoted to popular rejoicing. A
kind of fair is held on the Admiralty
Place in St. Petersburg, and one of its
main features is couple of huge katoks
facing each other. They are at least rs
feet high, and very steep, and as con-
tinuous stream Of sleds furiously dashes
down the CLASSY side, the spectators won
der why serious accidents are of such
rare occurrence. Here ladies are seldom
seen, or females of any class; the sport
is too rough, and only now and then one
of the fair sex will intrust herself to a
professional coaster, many of whom
hang around to initiate unsuspecting
strangers into the bewildering mysteries
Of the sport. A favorite mode of coast
ing with the Russians is lying stretched
out on the stomach, but it takes consid-
cradle nerve to face the mad turmoil
in that way. My own experience in this
national amusement was gained at pri-
vate party, at house in the suburbs of
st. Petersburg, with spacious garden
attached to it. The evening had been
passed in social games and occasional
dances, but all the fun was evidently re-
garded as merely preliminary or intro
ductory to something better in store.
Occasionally caught a phrase, which
pointed to something which everybody
looked forward to, but was entirely ig-
norant of its nature, and presumed it to
be tableaux or theatricals. Finally, at
about the hour of ten, a general call for
furs and 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-coyered trees
and shrubs, the tops only of the lat
ter protruding over the thick bed of
show, with its glittering crust. In
the center of the garden I soon
discovered the attraction which had
caused us to forsake the warm and light
ed rooms-two katoks of moderate height
doomed up before us, and a number of
sleds were strewn about, ready for use.
A general pairing off took place immedi-
ately, and in few moments the sport
was in full blast. The two platforms
faced each other, and the tracks ran side
by side, SO that the parties would dash
past each other amid laughter and shout
ing. l looked around for vacant sled in
order to try my hand at the game, but
just as was climbing the steps to one of
the platforms l was informed that no
gentleman could be permitted to ride
alone on such an occasion, and I was
quickly provided with a passenger-a
young lady from the country, endowed
with considerable embonpoint. Without
possessing the least confidence in my
skill as asteersman, I was somewhat COM
forted by the thought that the we'll
rounded form Of my passenger, made
still rounder by an 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 entire waived on
the katok, but when the fair Anna Ivan.
ovna dropped down in front of me with
the grace and ease of a snowflake, though
a trife heavier, and, to use the slang
phrase, "cuddled up" to my manly
breast with glance full of charming
confidence, my innate modesty and diff.
dence caused me to recede a little, and,
as was already seated on the extreme
edge, there was fall, a scream and a
laugh, and the whole delightful perform
ance had to be gone through with again.
At last we were both seated, and the
sled adjusted, as imagined, with the ut
most mathematical precision, so as to run
a straight course to the end of the track.
Full Of confidence, l 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 snow caused it
to overturn, and my fare and I rolled
down the snowbank to the level. Ny
profuse apologies seemed to be altogether
superfuous; the partner of my disaster
was none the worse for it, and only re-
marked that it was very naughty Of me
to play that trick the first time. The
innocent little bundle of furs thought l
had upset us on purpose. With some
misgivings on my part the experiment
was repeated, with nearly the same re-
suit, and by that time it dawned upon
the other participants in the fun that they
had "greenhorn" among them, and
plans for mischief were concocted &C.
cordingly. One of the gentlemen ap-
preached me and observed that seemed
to be bewildered by the crowd dashing
down before me and beside me, and that
they would give me chance of descend
ing alone, ahead of them all. The COM
pany accordingly assembled on one of
the platforms, and took my place once
more on the brink with my fearless pas
senger before me. The suppressed
laughter and the mischief sparkling in
everybody's eye might have warned me
that some plot was afoot, but unsuspeet-
ingly and carefully I launched my sled.
Exactly what followed cannot tell, and
would not care to enlarge upon if I could.
In less than second We had reached the
level, and there niy sled struck broom
handle, or something of the sort, and with
jump seemed to fly from under us,
while we glided piece down the track
on our own responsibility, my compan-
ion clinging to me for dear life; and
then there came shock, and then
another, and I don't know how many