The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-01-08
Thc Ars skasorfas.

St1. ~ Tho Ars skaserfas.
THE UPPER AND LOWER DOCKS AND THE BASIN
By DAYLIGHT, By TWILIGHT, AND BY NOON
L1GHT-EUN, FRoLIC, AND FALLs--A FINE
2 DAYS sPoRT-DROP THE CURTAIN.
. There Is an old proverb, at Is an i'll
wind that blows good to nobody" so the
frigi6 wave now on as; has not been with
out some blessings. It has obstructed nayi-
CATION, 1t has advanced the price OF lilsters
and many other necessaries OF life, impeded
trade in many respects, and caused much
suffering to many worthy people. Per con-
ira, it has made lee pientiful-iee which
is so needed for the cooling Of milk, tea,
and other pafatable beverages during the
torrid heat OF the long summer days-and
1t has furnished ice for the benefit OF those
skatorially inclined. Richmond, It is trne,
has no Central Park, like New York; nor
spacious .skating-rinks or ponds, as have
some larger cities, but we have the
UPPER AND LOWER DOCKS
and the basin, which furnish ample scope
for the display Of any talent in the particr-
lar direction to which this article alludes.
Richmond has possibly no skaters who can
successfully cope with the professionals Of
bhS ASo1I W. auA w EcG UQk II Ids luSu W utb3
IL they; have. not craven their names high
on the scroll Of fame, have at least written
them on the dock, not In living letters, but,
il letters like those written in the sand,
they have at least served their purpose
Again, there are those WHO, II they never
expect: to leave footprints In the sands Of
time, can at least boast Of having LETT them
on the basin, evanescent and vanishing
though they be. But this Is too much pre-
face, and the reporter has tried to say that
the present skating season seems to be as
highly enjoyed as has any for many years.
At an early hour yesterday on the upper
and lower docks and basin skaters began to
appear, some with and some without skates.
There was no diminution, but rather an in
crease in the number all through the day,
until evening it seemed that half the city
were on the skating-grounds either as par
Elephants or as spectators.
CONDITION OF TIE ICE.
The ice was said to be in good condition.
This statement Is made with reserve, as the
reporter, prudent man, was we'll content
to rely on hearsay evidence. He, for one,
had no desire 10 tempt Providence on roll
ers. 1t was evident, however, that the ex-
perts bad no difficulty in making rapid pro-
gress and in heartily enjoying themselves at
all OF the places named. There were q
large number of ladies out, both on the ice
and on the banks as lookers.on. There
were ladies, old men, young men, and boys,
and all seemed to vie with eacn other as
to which could skate furthest and fastest,
hold out longest, or in finding out which
could fall most often or hardest. 1t was q
pleasant sight even to one whose heart never
yearned after the honor, the glory, and the
Joy OF skating. Every eye was bright,
EVERY NOSE WAS RED,
every cheek wore q glorious blush, and
every face seemed full of animation. Rich
and poor, black and white, little and big,
male and female, made up the multitude
that remained all day on the skating parks,
seemingly never to tire OF the eXhilarating
enjoyment. About 4 O'Clock the crowds
perceptbly increased, and nearly every
other person you met had pair Of skates.
About n!ghtiall the majority left, but many
fingered, while others still did not leave. at
all The present was all-in-all to them, and
they took no heed Of the future.
i 80 =. WHEN IT'S MOONLIGHT.
Skating by daylight may be glorious, but
tits when tits moonlight or tits starlight that
it reaches pinnacle for which a new adiec-
tive must be coined. The ice then be-
comes not only beauty, but Joy that they
would evidently wish might last forever
Last night the moon was out in all her glory,
threw its silyery sheen in regal splendor
over not over-cold world, and the skating
population rallied in force The reporter
anxious to see all that was to be seen OF
those engaged in the manly art, began his
explorations at the boat-yard at the loot OF
10. e Lam in1,r on &c IN.
less, as but few skaters were found. The
pond, however, had been we'll patronized
during the day by persons in the immediate
vicinity. From this point, passing the OLD
Armory bridge, so famous in by-gone days,
to the basin, no skaters were observed, the
canal having not been frozen this season
sufficiently for skalable purposes. Not 4
soul was met on this iaunt, and it would
have been rather dreary had it not been for
the silvery light OF the aforesaid moon,
whose bright rays guided the traveller on
his way.
on THE BASIN
large party, including many ladies, were
assembled. The basin had been partially
flooded by section Of the Tcnth-street
hose, and the skating was very good, but
the ice had not last right reached the CLASSY
surface requisite for experts. One OF the
plugs used bursted and had to be left rum
ming all night.
The upper dock was crowded and the
lower dock we'll filled. There were OBJ
served yesterday no extraordinary exhibit
ton OF the skatorial skill, yet some very
good skating was done. Some OF the most
GRACEFUL STEPS
were put in by the ladies, the skates on
their tiny feet at times sparkling like dla-
monds in the sky. Many little boys, not
ambitious enough to test their powers on
fine larger Kinks, contented themselves with
sliding along the street-gutters, and seemed
as proud as the great professionals whose
names appear in large letters on huge post
ers in the larger cities, each claiming TO Dt
| the champion of the world. The day pass
ed, as far as could be learned, without accl
dent. Some lofty and hard tumbling wa
done, but it was generally taken good ma
turedly, and the tumblers tried their luct
again. Some persons, evidently beginners
moved about as carefully as If stepping De
tween eggs.
HoMEwARD BOUND.
It was a late hour when the skaters begal
to wend their way homeward, and SOM
even fingered until near midnight. Al
were in great glee at the result OF the day
enjoyment, and all doubtless wished for
continuance for several days OF the freeze
ont that their apiopmppt mipht he DrO