Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1883-01-19
LOCAL NEWS.
Roller skating for Prizes.

car last Saturday night, was postponed
to Monday. Centennial Hall was
orstty we'll filled with skaters and
sosctators, and the contests were very |
interesting and some excitement was
manfested. The Idaho City Brass
Rand was on hand and played num-
hor Of pieces before the skaters were
drawn up in line for the race, which
was first on the programme. AS
many as could run without jamming
entered for the race. They were
tapped off in the east end of the hall and
started pretty evenly, and all banged
M against the wall at the opposite
end of the hall pretty nearly together;
but some made the turn quicker than
others, and on the home stretch they
cot all mixed up and there was good
deal of promiscuous tumbling- Jim
Emerson won the race by several feet.
Next came the potato picking. Six
spuds we're strung out about two feet
apart, the contestants to pick up and
hold the potatoes, and if the skates
stopped rolling before the last one was
reached it was "no 60" Two lads of
Irish descent-John Barry and Jim
Davis-each made a clean sweep. The
other boys remarked before starting
in that their chances were sllnl-that
chose Irish boys would just bend
their backs and freeze to 'em-every
one of en-" and they were right. The
most picked up by any one of the 9TH
er contestants was three. Johnny
and Jim being tie, they went for 'em
again. Jim led off, but in attempting
to execute little monkey business
skating on one foot and rafting clog
with the other-he lost his balance
and sat down just as he was reaching
for the last spud. Johnny smiled a
happy, confident smile when it came
his turn and he sailed off on the second
heat The whole half dozen were lift
ed as gracefully as before, and John
ny struck off for the prize, remarking
as he pocketed the "lnurphies" that
spuds were five cents a pound, retail,
and hard to find at that" AS Johnny
went and drew the prize he was iol-
lowed by Julius Mautz who looked
excited and as mad as a hornet. He
made few awkward but emphatic
gestures over the head of Thos. Leath
erdalej the boss of the rink, and re-
mark d in fighting tone as Tom was
znahiog ready to dodge under the skate
table: 1T was a put up job, sir! You're
fraud! You discriminate az ainst the
French!" How so?" replied Tom
tlmidly. "Ps. upjob for the Irish. Why
didn't you make it frog legs instead O
potatoes SO as to give the French
fair show? Make it frog legs and i
don't get away with the whole bust
mess and the prize I'll pay you ever,
cent ! owe for skating the past tw'
weeks-nine dollars and six bits-ant
pay without growing and as cheerful
ly as | would liquidate a debt TO
c'aret, cigars, or any other necessar,
OF llte." Tom explained that if h
should make it frog legs it would b
as unfair for the Irish. lads as potatoe
are for the French; and besides frog
mad all emigrated south for the winter
julius scratched his off ear, smiled i
wide smile and remarked that ne hadn'
thought of that, and that the explana
tlon was satisfactory. The pole jumf
Ing, which came next, was very ex
citing. 1t was "nip and tuck" betwee
jim Emerson and Jim Davis. Th
pole was raised a few inches alte
Anh