Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-03-22
THE JOLLIEST FAD.
FINE WINTER SPORT FOR SOCIETY
GIRLS.

Sport at AIbany-FIannel Perticoats and
Old Fashioned skirts Necessary to Sue.
cessfnl Bob. ob.Sledding-Highly Exciting
and Fashionable sport.
The jolliest fad among society girls is to
make trip to Albany, for the purpose of
Big parties go up the Hudson
to the old Dutch city. | have been on one of
these giddy excursions. Happily, | had
A resident friend, Nellie, who put me in
way of enjoying the diversion at its best
When the time came to get ready, she said
in her mischevous way that | must pass an
examination very like that of girl who
wants to join the ballet
"Put your foot upon that chair" she said.
al couldn't to save my neck, said l, Gun
less take off my skirts, which l don't pro-
pose to do"
"Thst's just what you've got to do" said
she, and then, seeing my startled look,
she added, "aud put on these" and she
flung out a flannel petticoat, two white
skirts and dress. all OF the fashion of three
years ago.
She had a similar suit complete, and we
both undressed and dressed up again
in these voluminous skirts. Once
again she bade me put my foot on
a chair, and, catching her spirit,
responded by lifting one heel to the top of
the back of low armchair. She laughed
as she said: "You'll do; now you can mount
the biggest bob in Albany"
We each put on a pair OF woolen stockings
over our shoes and wore our rubbers over
them "to keep the cold and the snow out,"
Nellie said, and then we walked along to the
crest of Madison avenue, while Nellie's
brother Tom pulled big bob ("Double Rip
per- was the name painted on ir) along the
middle of the road behind us. Here and
there Tom stopped and notified the young
men and women OF his and his sisters ac-
quaintance who lived in the neighborhood.
and, as they had gotten ready beforehand, we
made party OF fifteen when we got to the
hilltop. The bob-sled was nearly thirty feet
in leng,b, and consisted OF q two-inch plank
bol,ed nm IN two immense sleds II hal
h,m, ~. ,.,.o ~: -
steering-wheel, like car-brske,
and huge ox-chain to be let down
under the hind sled to act as brake when
the hnh W IN ha gyopnal I fhnunhf IN
freeze to death, or at least get pneumonia, as
stood on that bleak hilltop waiting for the
party to start.
"Now watch me, said Nellie; ats easy,
though it looks trifie hard. to do it with
propriety.
She sat on the board, lifted her feet
wheeled around as il she was on pivot, put
up her knees and spread them so as to hold
her skirts in place. and then dropped one
foot after another over the sides Of the big
sled, holding them up from the ground, sc
that nothing more than her shoes were in
sight. Some OF the other girls were not sc
skillfui, TO. saw sections OF stockings hers
and there, and one little miss, in rathel
short aress, oungied the operation IN way
not to be described. My heart sank at These
sghts.
81 doubt II it's worth it," said l, in {
whisper.
iph, hddlesticksP said Nellie; "it's dark
and all over in second"
SO tried 1t. aud fiattsr myself did al
well as Nellie herself. There was young
gentleman In front OF me, and, to my con
sternatlon, he began tumbling at my feet
Before knew what he was about, he had mi
by the toe OF each boot. looked arount
and saw that some one of the men was hold
ing up each glrls feet in apparently the SAINT
way, and just then some OF the men produces
nsh-horns and begun to blow them, and th'
sled commenced to slide down hill. 1t movet
slowly only for an instant, and then 1t liter
ally plunged downward, as block OF ice de-
seends board into cellar. There was {
rush OF cold WIND, sense like tha
OF falling from a house-top, con
fused blur OF the faces OF the dou
BILE line OF men, women and children
strung along both sides OF the roadway, 6
bump that sent my heart between my teetf
when we crossed horse-car track, and ther
long, swift flight 10 the foot Of the hill and
out on the level sheet below. But the young
gentleman who held my toes allowed my
heels to dig into the snow, and from each o.
them there played fouD tain of ground-uK
ice and snow that shot right into my clothe:
and began to pack up most unpleasantly un'
der my knees. On the long and tiresomt
journey up the hill told Nellie, and she be-
came indignant.
"Held your toes, did he?" she almos shout.
ed; "well, he's perfect Miss Nancy. III
give you my partner next time"
When | reached the top of tts hill was
all aglow with the exercise, and the sight o.
score Of long elastic, flying bobs, made nae
eager for another ride. Again ] put the big
board between my knees with all the skill
tina. was necessary, and held my toes up fol
Nellie's partner, who now sat in front of me
to clutch them. But be did nothing OF the
sort. His hands grasped my ankles firmly
and away We went, with rush and a roar
over the bumps, through the lines of specta-