National Republican., 1881-03-19
GRACEFUL GLIDERS.
GAY SCENES AT THE SKATING RINK.
skimminF Over the Asphslt-Some Of the Folks
Who Skate-Comic Episodes on the As
phalt-Sad Experiences o.
StalHart Ohioan.

All aSCQI0 SUlGOTldl SdSO ii<io C1sAN
Washington presents magnificent future posi-
| bilities as roller-skating rink and bicycle
park" There is more in this assertion than the
ordinary wayfarer would imagine, and it is only
necessary for the seeker after information to visit
the rink ON New York avenue to get at the prime
cause of this prediction. Once inside this struct-
ure, the rest is plain Here is huge rectangular
parallelOgram of hard, smooth asphalt, with
| treachery stamped in every square inch oi
its black, shining face. Flying hither
and thither over this frictionless surface
are gay groups of ladies and gentlemen, ranging
from the roguish young miss, in short skirts ana
loose curls, attended by Juvenile swell IN polo
cap and abbreviated sack coat to the dowager OF
forty-fve, escorted by o well preserved youth,
who despite his fifty summers, is evidently "goer
AS the crowd sweeps by at the rate OF twenty
miles an hour the spectator can admire the grace
and skill displayed, and, by noting the panorama
OF faces form some idea Of the extent of the skat
ing mania and the character ofthe deVotees 10 ths
beautiful and heaithful exercise. 1t Is not all
grace and Skill however. Note that wretch who
holds nervouSly to the hand-rail and clumps heav-
lily forward at snairs pace, ever and anon enSag-
ing in frantic struggle with that left foot, which,
rejoicing in the facilities afforded by fourteen
inch Plimpton skate, appears determined to strike
out for itself, independent of the will of the
and all the admonitions of the instructor have
been jammed out of his whirling brain by his first
fall, wherein he sat down with force calculated
10 bankrupt Keely motor, and felt for the end of
his spinal column through the crown of his nobby
r1nk cap. But courage, mon ami; week hence
and you will rival the messenger god with the
winged heels you hythrough the tbrong with
the graceful swing of 1.-The outside edge forward"
SOME OF THE SKATERS.
Here comes a group who are all premier force
George Boyd, John Giddings, Bart Riddle, Jack
Mercer, and Arthur Harrison, all crack skaters and
polo players, skimming along with that ease
that betokens perfect mastery of the tricky rollers
The ladies are out in force, too, many Of them be-
ing magnificent skaters the most noticeable per-
hapS being Miss Marian Cutter, Miss Strong, Miss
Pairo, Miss Mamie Jones, Mrs Hof Mrs. DR.. Bean,
the Misses Riddle, Miss Duncan, and the Misses
Zamacona. There are a host of notables out also
]. Stanley Brown the Presidents private secretary
Butler Malone the son of Virginia's famous Sena-
tor, who both skate well, and half score Of dip
lomats, who skate lazily, ffrt charmingly, and
fire bon mos al each other in that pure Partisan
accent that makes Hrs. General Gifory, who whirls
along beside them, feel like snatching handful
of blonde frizzes out of her new Thompson
wave" Here comes
WESTERN CONGRESSMAN
who, after painful series of experiences, during
q course of private lessons, has bloOmed out as a
star of the first magnitude. See him glide around,
his 2l0 pounds avoirdupois seemingly changed to
a feathers weight! Mark how he mops his brow
with red silk bandana and whispers to friend,
Its the pace and not the distance that kills !"
Monday, Friday, and Saturday nights are the oc-
casions to the Rink at its best. On these even
-ings the West End is out in force. The gay toll
cites ofthe ladies, some of them singularly novel
ON iato ha irSr1 nf
and the melOdiOus sound of many voices rising
and falling above the whir Of the rollers, max
ing a scene at once brilliant and inspiriting.
Comic episodes crop out continuously. During
the Inauguration week stalwart siX-footer from
the favored soil OF Ohio found his way TO the rink,
and for some minutes gazed in admiration upon
the crowd of fying skaters. Something in the
scene recalled his boyhood'S days, and his memory
wandered back to the moonshiny nights on the
old mill-pond, where he had cut figure SIS on
pair of old Dutch curled tips" determined
light came into his eye and, striding to the skate
window, he invested in pair of "Plimptons."
With ill-concealed impatience he allowed the at
tendant to adjust the straps, and motioning him
aside lie launched out on the surface with the air
of conQuering hero. The difference between
ICE AND ROLLER SKATING
is maTYelous to the uninitiated, and, in the short
space of five minutes our ' Buckeye stalwart had
fallen i'll every way and shape that it possible
for the human form to assume without breaking
The band was playing the Chimes of Normandy
Laneiers,' and, after putting for a moment, and
gathering fresh enthusiasm from the music, our
Ohio friend bent to his work again. This time he
made the circuit ofthe building, and began to feel
more confident. Just as he got opposite the Or
chestra he bethought himself of paralyzing a
graceless youth, who was following and
laughing at him, by executing a figure s
in the old and inimitable style of the mill
pond. He struck out bravely with his right foot
when the tTeacherous rollers stole out from under
him with the speed of lighting. For five seconds
the air was full of coat tails, No. II gait
crs and waving arms and legs. Then he balanced
himself on his head for another second and sub
sided into helpless, foundering mass. As he
raised himself on his elbow the orchestra closed
the last two bars of the " grand chain with that
vigorous "ha-ha" which the composer has in
iected amid the strains of the instruments. With
a brow backer than midnight, the man from the
Western Reserve felt for his pen knife, cut the
skate straps, and gained his feet Walking stiffiy
up in front of the leader of the band he shook his
clenched hand under his nose, exclaining, &" You
think you arc derned smart, don't you?" and left
the asphalt forever. Verify, let not him who
nuttefh nn his all hnoSt himSalf ha bn