The Red Cloud chief., 1884-05-09
The ''WhiZZer."

"After en'oying good skating antil
it becomes 4 tri G IN notonouS to them,
. party of youths on 4 large pond at
Clifton, Staten Is AMI. introduced q
novelty with which To make the pastime
| more excl ing. The innovation con-
sisted of what they called q 'whizzer-
The 'whizler' was made by cutting .
hole in the ice, placing an upright pole
through the hole. and attaching two
| horizontal bars to the pole. The bars
were about fifteen feet long. and on OPP
posite sides of the upr CHIT pole. \
dozen boys would catch hold OF the
bars and BEGIN to skate around, after
the manner of "a lors winding L capstan.
TIE result would be that the boy near
the pole would be mo,ing in q circle ut
n very moderate pace, while those on
the outer edges were whirling around
at II terrific speed. and if they CHANGED
to let 90 of the 'whiz err they would
be hurled forward rs if shot from 4 cat
apult. &
1.-The excitement of the sport con-
S sisted in watching the gyrat onS of those
who let 30. One lad loOSened his e Up
on the bar. was hurled forward about
fifty feet, and after sliding most of the =
distance on the ice went home with the
entire lett side of his ace almost de
void of skin and bleeding profuselv-
Another boy tripped, and vas carried
of with Il sprained wrist and broken
knee-pan. Still another tripped and
fell. and before he could get out of the
way the other bar came around and he
was struck on the head W tn u skate
He was taken home sdfft rim from con-
cussion of the BRAN aud W tn u large
gap in his scalp. The 'whizler' was
then stopped for the afternoon
This circumstance has brought to
mind another kind of "whiAzer,"
which is in active operation both sum
mer AMI winter. and which consists of
several long bars which revolvc
around the rum-bot;le. Persons take
hold near the cen e., where they find Il
glass OF beer, or wine Or cider ready
for therA. IL is bot hard to get hold of
the "'whiIzer." AMI as long rs o keep
near the center it is a very popular
amusement. But when persons @es
crowded out from the center the specG
increases, and they 90 faster and farther
than they ever inten'led.
1t is easy getting hold of the "whiz-
GER the difficulty is in letting 60
Sw fter. and swiftcT. and Swi te", it re-
wolves. The walk becomes Il trot. and
the trot 4 run. and there is no stopping.
The .whizZer.' never slow up; and
there : no chance to- let 20. You must
run or be run over; you must hang ON
or be knocked down, tramplcd under
foot, or flung oil h~eadlong on Il tangent.
L have seen some fearful wrecks
caused by the "whizzer.' Men with
red noses, bloated races, cleared eyes,
ragged coats. bad hats and general
wretchedness are still keeping close so
the bars" and holding on to tie
-.whizzer," which is continually increas-
ing its speed. There IS a set of gay
Young chaps neal the entire. They
are good-loOking and well dressed. ard
they take thing, EASY, and with
great moderation. but by and by others
press in and they get crowded ont
along the '.bars." and the farther thsy
90 the wore they fire; and the longer
they hold on to the "whiz er. the more
they wish they could let 90 of it. Finally
they reach the end. and loose their grip.
and fy off, and 20 mt med, and
bruised. and bleeding. to destruction
You would never recognize in TIN
bruised. bloated. mangled mass that /
flung from the end of the "whizZer' the
gay and sprjghtly young man who
took hold of ne wine-cup at the cen
ter. But il - the same. and any one
who Won Il like to SEE the working Of
the ."whiZler' can see people tax nc
hold at the bar Of almost any tirst-class
hotel or hgh-toned saloon. and see
them flung of. mangled and crushed.
when the last penny Is spent. and they
are kicked ont to die in the gutter. OF
dragged away shiverng and dement,
ed, to the ~mad-house. tine prison or the
galiowS.
NV friend. do not take hold of the
devils ..whiZzer.' He has them set
up at almost every corner, and he Is
working them with all his might
Stand oil, There is danger there, keep
clear of the bottle and the bars"
81 ooE NOT ON tho wine when N il RED