New-York tribune., 1884-01-09
FROST GIVES PLACE TO SyoW AND RAIN.
BLASTING THE HOPES OF SKATERS AND CURRIERS'
DISMAL NIGHT FOLLOWS DREARY DAY.

BLASTING THE HOPES OF SKATERS AND CURRIERS'
DISMAL NIGHT FOLLOWS DREARY DAY.
1t was a dull, lowering day that broke on the
city yesterday. There something In the air that told
the weather-wise that It would before night and
even the least experienced in such things shook their
heads they looked al the v and predicted either rain or
snow Early in the day merry hrOng OF skaters began
70 fiji the walks Of Central Park leading the lake Down
the paths under the eahess trees by the lawn white with
snow they passed to the frozen lake. On Conservatory
Lake the scotchmen were preparing for their curling
match. A few sleighs went dashing up the drive,
and an air OF winter fe5tiyity peryaded the Park.
Even the stalwart men at work shoyellng snow in
the Mall caught the infection and varied their
labors by sliding on the little patches OF
ice that had formed near the Terrace. II the did
not fan there was every indication that the afternoon
would be a merry School children studied with
their ewes on their books and their thoughts the lake
But alas the lowering sky kept its promise and at
o'clock the snow began total.
The snow brought smile to the face Of the
coachman, as he heard the order for the fam
Iy coach countermanded, and a tear to the eye
of the schOobOy who had hoped to spend his
afternoon IN slmmng the Ice 1t fell thick and fast
and destroyed all prospects Of curling matches good
skating the public squares and IN the parks turned
the black walks OF concrete smooth surfaces OF
white II clung to the bare limbs OF the trees and
PLACED coronals OF snow on the huge images Of
men already crowned by fame. On the rivers and
in the harbor the white sails cleaned through the winter
snow and ferry boats and steam tugs ran about with
changing bells and screaming whistles. Tho towers Of
the Bridge doomed through the o5scury like huge ri-
umphal arches. The gay flags waving the City Hall
put' bits Of bright color into the scene.
The snow set in If II intended TO all day, but
Il had not got fairly started when it be-
Gan 10 grow lighter, aud by five o'clock little
was falling Then 10 ceased altogether and bold Icy
wind BEGAN 10 blow. II from the East and Illus
raed the truth OF the old nursery rhyme which says
when the wind 4 in the East,
IT'S neither ht Tor man nor beast
1880 II began TO rain and the day closed gloomy
and dispiriting On the sidewalks and In the streets
tie snow sush. and those unfortunate persons
who had left home in the morning without oVeIsI0es or
umbrellas were m despair. Only one man "bOyOcd up
serencIy and smiled TO the rain aud the slush That
man was the perpatec vender OF cheap umbrellas who
made ms appearance clad in glazed cloth and crying
U.re ware 'Brcas fifty cent piece When thc day
was over the sunset gun at Castle william
grow lei ont q suen good night TO the city, and little
later all the city went TO dinner
ms signal service observer the raiuwashed roof or
the Equitable building looked out from his iron tower
uuon "A CITY whose outlines were marked only by the
ijybs tgiukng dmly through the mist In the helEA-
boring church-yards where the rain drpped nom lne
caves OF Trinity and St. Paurs upon the graves
OF vanished generations all imprc,slyely DARK ana
still and the silver chimes as they rang the louI rom
Truitvs gothic spre almost startling rs the sOuuu
was sWept by on the blast thI Ough tue rain 70 COM
narntiveiy warm but disagrceable night set IN.
The signal Service reports showed thit hlgher teu
narture prevailed rule. The exceptions 70 thr were
m DnIub where the mercury stood at l9 below zeroi
81 PAUL Mimi where IL stood at the sumo point ana t
Ia Crosse Wis, where IL fell 10 10 below zero Inc
Thermometer az audnuts registered 192 at o'clock, %g
at o'clock 2l7 at 81 20 at noon ana JI' az 55o e4oCA