The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-01-25
LETTER FROM BALTIMORE.
Correspondence Of the Democratic Advocate.
BALTIMORE, Jan'y. Is, 1879.

season for the lovers Of skating, Of whom
we have an increasing number A good
place to learn the movements is the Rink,
on Biddle street, where many nightly whirl
or roller-skates. The favorite ponds are
those of Newington and Druid Hill parks,
especially the former, which is the we'll
known baseball ground flooded for this
special purpose. The advantages here, in
addition to the absence of danger, owing
to the ponds shallowness, in case one
should break through the ice, are an ad-
mission fee, room where ladies and their
gentlemen escorts may warm themselves,
a separate room for the less gallant or less
fortunate members Of our sex, and ade-
quate lighting in the evening by gas.jets.
On favorable evening the glittering ice,
with its multitude of gliding figures, pre-
sents brilliant scene. Skating is, indeed,
in its movements very much like another
iavorite amusement; 50 much like it that
a young gentleman ut one Of the parks, not
long since, pirouetted up to lady with
this question upon his lips ;-"Miss -,
may have the pleasure of dancing with
you" Now that the old-fashioned strap
ped skate, which pecessitated disagreea-
bic compression Of the blood vessels of the
foot, has been supplanted by the "Club,
which is screwed to the heel and fastened
to the sole by clamps, the only considera-
BILE objection to skating is the liability to
dangerous falls. 1t is obviously free from
the objections which hyper-criticism has
urged against dancing. Certainly it is one
of the most healthful exercises, as well as
one Of the most delightful sports, condu-
cling as it does to agility, gracefulness, cir
culation Of the blood, bodily yigor and TX.
hilaration Of spirits, it is the most capti-
waiting inducement by which Jack Frost
endeayors to win our young people from
the languor aud inconsequential amuse-
ments to which they surrender in their
overheated libraries and drawing-rooms.
So far, there has not been much coasting.
But the boys make use Of every chance,
you may be sure. And they exhibit an
other triumph Of American inventive skill.
Walking recently down street the merry
coasters had in part appropriated, mott
ced large sled that had a kind of for
ward rudder, working on the principle Of
the an old.fashioned velocipede. What
next?
Let me say, while | think Of it, that il
the youngsters were compelled to abstain
from every diversion fraught with any de-
gree Of danger, they would really have very
little ''fun." / need not mention the dan
gers Of sleighing in billy country, for my
readers know much more about them than
| do. True, 81 could tale unfold Of
sleighing accidents ESQ called but must
guard the dignity Of this correspondence
While do not think a correspondent need
be so rigidly impersonal and Judicial as the
august being who sits upon the editorial
tripod, yet l think he should seek to be
characterized by the same breadth Of view
and earefulness of generalization. must
hold in mind, therefore, the possibility
that, instead of ordinary incidents Of sleigh
rides over your hill-tops, mine were the
mishaps Of green city gentleman.
Let US get all the enjoyment out Of ey
cry season that we can. We ought not t.
be afraid Of an occasional "cold snap
FWhen you and | were young" Messrs
Editors, people expected cold weather il
winter, and we did not creep along the
streets shivering beneath an Arctic over.
coat, into which an Esquimau could put
himself and all his family.
Although the weather has been exeep
tionally severe as far south as Florida, put.
ting this winter upon the record as one Of
the hardest in our experience, the mosl
noteworthy fact having been the duration
Of the freezing temperature, the periodica
thaw has begun, and we have no cause L
fear that with us open winters win CEASE
to be the rule and polar ones the excep
tions.
have heretofore glanced at our loca
lecture system, and have emphasized the
value Of the Peabody courses. desire t.
add that the Johns Hopkins University
our Harvard, has opened the door for IN,
accomplishment of inestimable good b,
giving the public free access to Hopkins
Hall, to hear the educational lectures de
liyered there from time to time by eminen
specialists, / do not think, however, tina
these are designed to be, like those at tn,
Peabody, permanent institution. Tn,
only perceptible difference between tn,
University and Peabody courses is tina
the latter are measurably Of a more popu
lar character. The large and regular at
tendance at both places has revealed a 70
fined taste 10 this community that onl,
needed opportunity to show itself in thiI
disposition to attain still higher culture
At the University, Prof. G.. S. Morris, O
the University Of Michigan, has been de
livering a series of afternoon lectures OF
Ethics, and at the Peabody Institute, DR.
William Everett, head master Of Adam,
Academy, is leeturing in the evening OIL
Latin Poets and Poetry-Lucretius, Ca
tullas, Vigil, Horace.
Ut the dramatic artists who have beer
here this season, | recall Jauauschek, Ad,
Cayendish, Genevieye Ward, Marie Cor
don, Lolita, John II. Owens, aud that "a
vorite of the critics, Modjeska; Of the mu
sicians, the great violinists, Remenji anc
Wilhelmj, and the prodigy, Blind Tom
and Of the singers, Misses Abbott, Kellogg
Cary, Mile. Marie Roze, and Mrs. Rich
ings Bernard, not to mention the ladies' W
claim as our own, such as Miss Ami
Montague, Miss Adelaide Randall, an,
Miss Baraldi.
Death has taken more Of our prominen
citizens, one Of whom, Mr.. Alexande
Murdoch, native Of Scotland, who wa
at the time Of his decease President of tn
st. Andrews Society, was conspicuous a
well for his piety as for his merits as
merchant and citizen.
Three Of our churches last evening CAV
social receptions to new pastors--the West
minister Presbyterian Church to tho Rev
William j. Gill; the Mt. Vernon Plac
Church, (Methodist) to the Rev. John B
Van Meter and the First Presbyterial
Church, Of which DR.. Backus Is honorar-
pastor, to the Rev. DR.. J. I. Leftwich, reg
ular pastor. All Of these clorQymen ar
spoken Of in high terms. CHESAPEAKE
The TINE FOR SLEEP. Sleep obtaiuc,
two hours before midnight, when the nee
ntiye forces are 10 operation. i the res