The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-08
THE SKATING CARNIVAL.

WINTER AMusEMENTS IN CENTRAL PARK
GREAT SPORT ON THE LAKE-THoUsANDs
ENJOYING FUN ON RUNNERS.
IL would DO impossible overestmate tho Joy that
filed Thousands Of young hearts In this city 1t
was oihciay announced that the ball was up in
Central PARK In other words. this fact meant
hours OF health-giyirg pleasure on the ice dur
Ing the day ana nights OF hilarious aud roickng
fun tho frozen lakes Yesterday may be said to
have been tho FIRST OF Tho skating carnival. and IL did
not nood the sight OF rudy faced youngsters who
crowded all the leading TO The PARK 1, teach the
citizens of New York that tho youth OF both sexes
were enthusiasts In tho graceful sport OF skating.
The boys had generally their SKATES to school
with tneln and as the lessons OF the day
over they rushed from their task rooms with
the glisicning blades ostontatiousiy slupg
their shoulders, and made their way 10 tho
Park In troops. The girls. too, not far
behind them, and the merry faced maidcns formed
pretty pictures route TO the water trystpg place
AS rule, the girls had added to thor ordinary cos
tunes bit oi iveller color than usua-a gay ribbon
here scarlet leather there--whien impaired hoii.
duy look 10 their ATTIRE aud OF their ircsh beauty
with than usual piquant aud coqu-tish Grace.
Some OF them their petucoals looped up sum
gently to Tree limbs from embar rassn cut wLs
skmmins the CLASSY surface OF tue lake, great
many sacquos were trimmed with fgrs, AID gay colored
scaris wound about snapVly heads noai .d ia llo
broezs with oi strts-0s, yetAe Aoasss, chal.
leIsu hard 10 resist. Tue Mail crowded with
seekers vi the glorious iua al about eisycn
O'Clock in tho morning. aud TIE procession OF those
Who sought the lake al It's extremity did not
cease uuin late In the evening. Boys aud gris,
young men ana old. stianseis and citizens. crowded
the spot, ana tue merry laughter rang out on tho
BRISK AR Win gayer music Than was woke ny
Dodworth's band ia tho same locality. The Tee
ne condtiou ana only little rousa about the edges.
All duy long there Was human ring around the bor-
dcrs OF the lake, Out almost oycry second uguFe,
steel shod, would DART oui from u and JOIN The sway
ing, graceful crowa oil skaters beyond. BOYS we're
busiIy engaged fastening the skates OF
aud these spsts were usually surrounded by "a good
naturod crowd OF botn sexes, who ready to ap-
| puud wnen some skater struck oil IN graceful
iorm or laugh ut tho DOWNFALL OF ALI awkward DO.
glnner.
THE AMUSING scRxgs
Master Tom, aged leu, WHO had worried his iah her
into the purchase oil pair oi New York club skates,
perhaps much 100 Dig Tor him. alter having them ad
justed starts IRON tho border win ence born
VI his Old pair OF slow Ducan rollers, only and
himself with legs SPRAYING apart heels ia the air and
bump on the Ice that makes st4i iLan
there were iniduig ht heavens. hut Tom
hero, and though his occput has had a cracker. or
ms hose stunncr, no scs up smiling ynd rather
weakly strikes out again, whnpcriug 10 has anxious
nurse on the bunk .On.n, Pun no. hurt" and
II no cries ut ALI he does Il away oil IA corner by
himself, ana says 1t Is the cold mat makes MS eyes
wator Mss Rose tho icc blush rose
inaeea sho has on scarlet stockings and attracts
good deal OF attention from tho young fellows VINO
circle around her AT first holds fast Tue
OF her chvalrous boy adinrer; but soon dciyiag aim
Win Inc rcHiark that sfe eau so AS last lightning,
she darts away ike some bright plunagcd BIRD, and
lew seconds she comes 10 grieI and IL sweeping
the Ice browdsdc scarlet stockings and ALL But Mss
Rose Is sweet slxLeen and she gets up liinpn. iItio
and laughing merry, brushes the from
garments ana THIS tmv willing TO accept gallant
hand extonued to her. aud 10 keeplL ''its sucn iun
to fall" she snys. Then there are the
fellows who have skated fer foriy years
| SO thoy Say-they stumble up after ihcir blades
arc iastened with u rheumatic aud sGia movement
"Aha j." says ono OF these, .never eit better In my
lie; makes boy oil fellow, ahaln but scarcely
| hl g--S lcuA
troop OF schooiboys SKIM by like cloud VI swallows
aud the old fellow II down, and MS ''Oh hos' are
drowned IN the yos OF the heodIess youngsters Who
the other end vi the lake before he
bIng his Sims.
1t was estimated that during tho day and cvenir &
thcre were To- G0O people tho Park lake The great
EST numbers were skating between the hours VI Two
anu i've O'Clock IN the attern Al the latter bcur
tho most oil those enjoying tho sport gone
by eight the lake throngld. The night scene
picturesque In the extreme. The lights on posts
placed before bright refectorg surrounded the Lake
and made brilliant illumination, W which aiucd
great sled hled with numerous lights and placed ia
central position Oh the ice. Tho elect OF sway
ing, rapid skaters darling here and there into inc
Illuminated spaces, ard out OF these radiant places
into the shadows, made weird sceno whch
better DO imagined mum written. fnc music VI the
ringing steel upon tho Ice, TOO WAS wonderfully tue
that seemed like some familiar song the rhy TIM OF
which MAS us lnystcrous sweet aud could DO SGT
well 10 mournfuI as 10 geeui music. IL Was not
until eleven o ciOck--;he hour ut which the Park
gates coscthat the skaters consented to orsakc tho
lake. and doubtless, they will walt The tidings day by
day conveys tho req circlo the white s OF the
Observatory, that ''the ball Is up"