Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-09
WINTER AT THE NORTH


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FREDoNIA, \. Y, Jan. 4.-The appearance
Of the MORNING NEWS as it comes to me here
in the distant and frigid North. is like the face
OF an old friend, bringing with it pleasant
memories of fairer climes. l observe, how
ever, that even your favored region has been
visited by breezes that were not altogether
balmy, while we have been entirely frozen up,
and the back-country roads almost impossible
from the depth Of the snow. But, as | said in
recent letter, our Northern winters have
their pleasant features, regarding some of
which VIII briefly speak. No small degree
OF eNhilarating pleasure may be and is de-
rived from gliding over the fleecy snow in the
AIRY and elaborately painted and adorned We
hleles of this region, known as cutters and
drawn by fast, high-stepping horses, whose
bodies are encircled by strings of an hundred
tiny, silyer-toned bells, filling the frosty air
white mantled earth.
Looking out upon the streets of these busy
Northern towns on winters day, the scenes
presented 10 view would be of almost start
ing novelty and fascination to the native and
resident Of the far South
During pleasant weather, when the sleigh
ing Is good, the principal streets are thronged
with teams. single and double attached TO
| handsome, graceful open sleighs, upon which
the painters skill has been exhausted in their
establishment, dashing hither and thither,
ihelr occupants upon pleasure bent, mufiied
III Iur cloaks and wrappings, with gorgeously
| eolored and fancifully wrought lap robes:
their horses spangled with tinv silver plated
bells, thelr sweet chimes falling pleasantly
upon the ear
Imagine If you can the Kaleidoscope scene
as composed of scores of such turnouts con-
stantly passing in opposite directions. and the
tinklng bells.
Sleighing parties consisting of from five to
nifty couples make moonlight excursions to
adjacent towns eight and ten miles distant,
partaklng or oyster suppers or enjoying a
few hours dancing at the hotel, indulging in
exciting trials of speed between rival horses,
as they come and go, over the glittering track
These clear, moonlight nights are generally
very cold. SO much so, ofttimes, that ones
breath congeals turning to fine particles of frost
as it passes from between his iips Then il is
that your bright eyed, red checked compan-
ion, mufiied in more fur than any grizzly bear
ever sported, nestles very closely to YOU. as
actuated entirely by humane motives ID YOU
tuck the buffalo or wolf skin robe more secure
ly around her.
Northern winter landscape, under the
rays OF the sun on cold, cloudless day, or the
light OF a full moon at night, when the earth
Is covered with its mantle of snow, and every
bush and tree is covered as with white
fleece, presents scene of such enchanting
beauty as nothing else under the sun can an
proach. Midst the general sheen of white,
countless millions of icy crystals scattered
broadcast over the earth's bosom. and cluster
ing upon every twig of the forest, sparkle like
so many diamonds, the effect being absolutely
binding at times, SO bright and dazzling is the
display.
1t is not unusual for people to become what
is termed snow blind while riding from the
bright glare to which their eyes are subjected
a two hours retirement indoors restores the
nerves of the eye to their normal condition.
"Coasting" is one of the winter sports in
which the boys and girls of the North take
great delight. In fact, children of very
large growth and mature years do
IY,;, not seorn to indulge at times. In
ii is an easy matter to find hill with a con-
tinuous ascent of a half mile, or even more
Ascending to the top of this, with your steel
shod hand sleigh, upon which there is just
room for yourself and a cOmpanion-the latter
should be your sweetheart, of course-you
take your places, and your smooth runnered
vehicle starts on its downward flight; at first
slowly, but with ever increasing momentum it
glldes down the slippery, snow covered hill
slde. Half way down it has, attained the
speed of an express train, and you hold your
breath lest 1t should be blown entirely from
you; your companion, with teeth tightly
closed, hangs tightly to you with one hand and
to the sled with the other, her feelings about
equally divided between fear and pleasure:
your sleigh strikes swell in the track and
shoots into the air as it passes over, striking
the ground twenty feet beyond. You move so
rapidly now that You can scarcely distinguish
the course ahead, or the objects that you pass:
your hat blows off, your face cuts the air like
a rocket, when finally the foot of the hill is
reached, ana you glide gracefully out upon
the plain below, and pull up with hearts
thrObbing, blood tingling, and faces blooming
with the pleasure and excitement of the rapid
voyage, and you hasten to one side TO get out
of the way of the next sleigh that is gliding
down the white hillside with whirlwind speed
while the screams and laughterOf of the voyagers
ring merrily out upon the frosty night air,
Occasionally you will get spilled out while en-
route by this rapid transit line, and go rolling
through the light snow, the depth and softness
OF which prevents serious bruises. The cum
bersome wrappings necessary on such occa-
slons renders one almost helpless when thrown
from his equipoise.
A coasting party, OF a moonlight night,
generates more jollity and hiIarity than
almost any other gathering imaginable The
writer has, while in Florida. been asked many
times by the native ladies WHY it was that
ladies from the North generally had such fresh
and ruddy compilations. Could they witness
the ylgor and vitality represented by a group
OF Northern girls engaged in the above sport,
and experience the eXhilarating and inyigor-
atlng influence of the dry frosty atmosphere
OF cloudless Northern winter day, OF night,
they would understand this matter
Skating is one of the most popular sports in
this section. The people of your section know
something OF roller skating. but that kind OF
sport as compared with gliding over the ice on
steel-runnered skates, is like the row boat
compared with the swift sailing yacht. 4
or other matters connected with this secti@H
] will speak hereafter a. G. -