The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-04-24
SKATING.
The Distinction Between Skating On the
Ice and In the Rink.

| The Distinction Between Skating On the
Ice and In the Rink.
Skating on rollers round and round 8
rink is one thing; skating on the ice,
over long, straight-away course. un-
der cliffs, past meadows. among hills,
| is quite another. The relation of the
former to the latter is the same that
shooting at clay-pigeons bears to quail
hunting in the stubble. In the one case
we find pleasure in dexterity; in the
other we get near to nature and catch
the spirit of adventure.
The writer never had but one thor
oughly satisfactory skating experience
in his life. 1t occurred on the Kentucky
River. He was one of party of ten,
all young enough to be lively, all old
enough to appreciate the rare condi-
tons. The river was struck where a
break in the bluffs gave an easy descent
to the ice-the objective point (and it
is always well to have an objective
point in life. whether one is skating,
soldering or sermonizing), seven miles
away. The sky was gray; just q
thought of snow IN the air; the
wind with us; the scenery rugged
and picturesque. Here was felic. ty
unmixed! We seemed to sink into the
embrace Of nature. The region was as
wild to the view as when Daniel Boone
first looked upon it We gazed down
the perspective of the valleys, that oc-
casionally opened as we swept out Of
one defile into another, half-expecting
to see village of wigwams in the dis
lance. There was q charm in every
foot of the landscape which, like vast
panorama, swept behind us as we few
But the charms were those that hold us
irresistibly when we contemplate the
''deep solitudes" of nature, profoundly
sensitive of the august majesty of the
Creators own handlwork. We began
with whoop; but, as the true senti-
ment of the scene touched our souls,
we grew subdued by the environing
grandeur. the pace conforming to the
general mood. and It was not until
there was q sudden realization that the
goal was near that the wild halloo of
the foremost, himself abruptly aroused,
awoke the spirit of frolic
IL skating were only attractive under
these circumstances there would be few
skaters in the world; but the same up
lifting experience may be attained in
other ways and at all seasons. The
busy American needs the suggestive
diversion that sport in the open air
gves-whether it be skating. bicycling.
hunting, fishing on1ours afoot. And
he needs to opa soul to the senti-
ment of the pastlme To play merely
to perfunctor.ly acquiesce in physi-
clans prescription is not the Doctors
intention. We should learn to enjoy
hunting quite as much because we go
to the hills and fields as for the opper~
tunity to fill q game-bag. Skating in
. rink. shooting at target under
cover, or racing against time around the
tan-bark circle. are well enough in
their way, but the better thing is to 90
a-sporting where the eye can discover
distant horizon. The auise-bag has
its proper use in default of the fox.
That there is, at the present time, q
popular tendency to play out-of-doors
Is very evident. Notwithstanding the
tervOr with which some Indoor pass-
times are held. It is giving, as has
been noted by intelligent observers q
grateful element to American litera-
ture. and is awakening in the Ameri-
can youth an ardor in the pursuit OF
these healthful pleasures which are
only to be found where Nature main
tains something of her original condi-
tons. It was not many years ago
when there were but comparatively few
resorts Tor the summer-tourist in quest
Of an idling- place. Now they abound
everywhere. The reason lies in the
fact that people no longer, as rule,
desire to go with the crowd, but prefer
the small groups in the places to
which the noise Of commerce does not
reach, and where the beat of Nature
heart can be heard.-G. C. Aattheus,
~ Chicago Cwrrent.