The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-11-30
.xr~G.IECsrONS or 4 TOLD WIN
TER IN NEW YORK.

,,, p,,i,osopher enough 10 compre.
ss.,,,. ~. cu,ious aud sudden changes
30 80, ,ey.tu,e Incidental to almost every
ss,,s.sn and there Is something rarticu-
sssiv uaac,ouptsble In the extraord'nary
~avertfy Inv which the seasons are OCCASION
ali, eharacter,zed. The winter Of ls-- was
sonc of these. and will remain indelhoiy im'
nressed upof, nv memory. One week espe-
ci,,ly was intensely cold; the sky was ciear
nd lime. the air had a delusive chmness
,fbas hepuiled some victims forth 10 ueatn.
a VAN across the street affected us WIN
acu,e main in the temples; moist nahu
would fire. re instantly to the iron bains'er
OF the steps; stage-dtiyers ana bsckney
.eoachmen were found stiff and dead upon
sbeir boxes.
Tire siudepps ink CONCEALED by the IRE:
the sfilueni, with all the appliances o.
wealth, could not keep themselves comfort
able: and the heart acbes 10 recall tue con-
sli,iou Of the poor, shvering aud trembling
aropnd the cherries fire-places OF their d.
tan,dated dwellings, half naked, hungry:
and 1estitute--it was indeed dreadIu'
wiuter for them. Many persisted; some ai'
rec,ly from the cold, while, although o,hers
fingered tin the weather moderated, YET
sickness and exposure had broken down
their constitutions, and the SOFT Drea'n o'
spripc blew over their graves.
THE snow in the streets bad granite coh'
x,stency. sparklipg like diamonds IN me
brilliant sunshine, which shone aii uay WIN
fbe efItctual fervor OF the moon upon us
,,ameIted wreaths and rocky banks inose
who cou.d. kept In. doors. Those whom
business called abroad could scarcely De
recognized through the multiplicity OF gar
Dcnts.
Oyer.shoes and moccasiDs, bunaiosR'ns
and blankets, sbawis. fur-gioves ana caps'
and yoluminous cloaks over greai'c'oahs,
everywhere met such eyes as could p'ne"
sra,c through the rich and curious FROST
work which accumulated Win every prta'h
upou the window-panes.
OF course the city was locked up 10 lce'
Canals and rivers all over the country were
closed. A silent bleakness aud dessoiatioh
reiyned on land and water worthy OF inc
Polar regions. The Hudson spread out
solid felJ, and even the Day-a very un.
usual eyent-presented TO the eye one vast
mass OF motionless ridges, iDterspersed Win
Mains of CLASSY smootbness; broken ULYSSES
Of ice. which the tide, in the ad oil conge'a.
tiop. had 10, ICED up in heaps and bills OF
srow. the remnants OF heavy storm by
which this extraordinary period OF coiu
weather had been preceded. The southern
mails were conveyed from the Jersey size
In sie;cbs instead Of boats. and the papeis
mentioned, as q curious fact, tDat pedes'
srian had crossed 10 the city from ota'eo
island with only the loss OF one OF MS ears
This excessive cold terminated rs sun
denly as IL bad commenced. A southern
wipd one morning blew over the city win
a more moderate breath, the sun reganed
sts warmth, and in n few DAYS the caves OF
the houses began 10 drip and popderous
masses Of snow TO slide from the Starting
roofs TO the imminent danger OF tbe foot
passengers below ibe wooden sheds ana
honse.fons reeked with The I'll canning eVap-
ora.jon. the streets grew wet and sloppy, ana
all things relaxed under the influence OF
regular tbaw; still, however, aiihousn tne
?,sy began 10 discover indications OF a Dreak'
INC mn under the conlbiued power OF the sun
and those raDid tides which rush IN oppo'
.cine- currenis from East river and the Hud'
so,,' vet the latter remained bound IN us
bright prison, sfYordi1g strong temptation
10 persons fond Of skating-an amusement
which The mud.g cutters and mill-ponds rem
der almost pecullar 10 boys, yet wbicn, Ia
the present instance, was found irresistible
10 large number OF our population oil all
ages.
was at that period STRIPPING OF twenty,
tf rather a solitary turn OF mino, tDougn
mt ayerse 10 sport, OF which skating must
ever he considered one OF the most agree
rble varieties. IL is an exercise full OF merry
excitement and exhilaratiOn. Distance Is
trayersed with velocity Incredible; every
muscle of The form seems laid out with un,
accustomed force upon the power OF mo
ton: you guide, you float, you fly; you
mass through space with a thought, wheel
ing. cjrclng. darling, and riyalliDg the
swallow in its airy gambols. The bosom
rtiojces as II in the possession OF newly
discovered power.
The sun was about an hour above the
HORIZON when, after light dinner, TOOK
pair of skates under my arm, ana Dent my
way down 10 one Of the wbaryes on Inc
western side Of the tow4. The cold had
now In q great measure abated, and found
Thousands of men and boys enjoying them
selves upon the ice, darting by each otner
in every direction, wheeling aud flying with
eeaseless velocity and various motions
which resembled the play OF swarm OF
insects in the summer air.
Here a troop Of little fellows limped along
en- one skate; there another glided WIN
both feet equipped for the sport, at one mo.
meDt approaching within few yards OF
the land. and again hurrying away OIL TIL
sude.
Every boy bred 10 New York knew how
20 skate; but the facilities for practiclng this
inspiring sport are passi0g away so ell
feciualy and rapidly under the jurisdiction
OF our slreet-culiiDg, house.sblftlng, MIL
dwelling, pond-6lling, corporations, that
fear the time Is nigh at hand when the ar,
will be almost extinct. The very climate
itself is growing more even and insipid, as
If member of the conspiracy to exterml-
nate our ancient favorite amusement. Be
that as il may, on this memorable occasion
entered into the enjoyment with all my
soul. The ice presented great variety OF
surface on the part selected by the skaters
a. the most convenient for their purpose.
Between the rough cakes and hills which
sometimes INSTRUCTED our career there
wound little narrow passages OF silver
smoothness, which again expanded into
delds frozen in burrows and ridges, as II the
congelation had arrested the water In the
act Of lifting its waves.
skated leisurely along. musing upon the
yecuIiarities Of the scene, till at length
wandered far from the shore, anxious at
once TO escape the riot, iostle, boisterous
Slaughter. and shouts OF the crowd. and TO
reach newer ice, that upon which bad been
skating being much cut up by the innu.
ucrable tracks, and also little wet aud
sloppy. %, therefore, went, finding am
pie compaBioDsbip In my own Thoughts and
observations, till at length awoke to the
sudden consciousness that the sun had set,
the night shades were gathering around,
aud nearly every individual OF the vast