The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1882-03-02
Our George Takes a Slide.

Sliding is game peculiar to this part OF
the country. 1t is luxury that the inhab,
itants of Tophet never indulge in. II runs
wild on the hillsides and is hunted on
moonlight nights in winter with sled.
II is kind of ex-hill.eration that even o
Good Templar may indulge in II 10
sort Of pious way Of playing "old sledge
without the cards, II is a comfortable
way of going coasting without experlenc'
ing the dangers of the sea
Belfast is peculiarly adapted to sliding
Many of her streets are set up endwise
with sufficient pitch to enable water to run
down them without being pushed. A
week or two since we had a new moon on
trial and the hills being in excellent con-
dition, those who enjoy sliding had an OPP
portunity of getting their fill. had an op.
portunity and / got full.
In my youthful days ! was wont to take
the girls ont sliding. 1t was then the
fashion to seat yourself on the sled while
the girl would occupy aseat on your knee,
her left arm round your neck and your
right arm round her waist. Simply this
position was fun even though you didn't
slide at all. remember it always took
me long time to get ready. / don't know
why, but it did ! think that could en-
Joy an hour of such sport now in a good
warm parlor-simply substituting chair
for sled, but I'm DEPRESSING
Fashions change. They don't slide as
they did Your girl don't SIT on your knee
any more. You don't use one sled. Slid
ing has been revolutionized and you now
slide on bobs.
NV experieuce on bobs has not been a
succession of successes got the loan OF
a bob aud invited charming girl to go out
sliding. 1t was beautiful evening. The
moon was as full as New York alderman
and the night wss as light as handful OF
swans down. We climbed the hill; our
hearts were full Of gladness, and onr faces
covered with persplratlon.
Webster defines bob "a thing that
PLAYS loosely" He could not have got
better definition il he had sat up all night
thinking of it, If Webster were living he
would receive congratulatory letter from
me on the success Of that definition.
For the benefit of those benighted read
ers who know nothing about sliding, ex'
cept back sliding, will remark that bob
is built OF two sleds and board. The
board is securely fastened to the rear sled,
while the front end rest on rocker which
turns on bolt. You get on board in the
same way that clothes pin gets on q line
You bisect yourself and arrange your legs
equally on either aide Of the board. Th
person nearest theiforward sled steers H'
steers with his feet by moving the Sled tc
the right or left. 1t needs a man with
pair OF cool and collected feet TO steer
bob. Everything depends on him. Il
looks as simple as All idiot, but somehow
had rather avoid this subject Let me sim
ply say that no Texas steer was ever wild
er than mine.
At the top OF the hill waited till all th'
bobs had started. took particular pain
TO note how each couple arranged natter
and | concluded that / understood thu
whole thing. st. Paul remarks that III
man thinks he knoweth anything lie know
eth nothing yet as be ought TO know
predict that Paul had been trying to stee
| a bob when he made that sage remark.
NV companion and ! arranged onrseive
on the sled. We arranged ourselves yer.
satisfactorily. ! don't remember that
ever felt better or that the world and lif
in all its aspects ever seemed brighter 4
me than it did at that moment Signal
ling small boy 10 give me push We start
ed To start IL 10 60. How we went |
seemed A. II we we're sliding through th
air on a buttersd sunbeam. Sotwilhstand
our speed, | did not forge. my companion
and Turned my head aud asked, "Ar
von-" when inst then the forward sle,