The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-03-06
miscellaneous.
LETTER FROM BALTIMORE.
Beautiful SnOw-Skating Carnival
Johns Hopkins University.


do not know when you will receive this let
ter but think it will be safe to commence it
by saying that we have just had fresh Install
ment of the Beautiful Snow" because that
piece of information is applicable to about
two days OF every six now. We scarcely get
our sidewalks in decent condition, and have
hardly recovered from our last graceful fall
upon the ice, when 10 upon looking from our
windows in the early morning, we see five or
six inches of nice, clean, painless snow, and for
the second time this week, "quarter" must be
given to the for. once-in-his-lfe useful small
boy, to clean off the pavement he is happy OF
course, and the oftener it SHOWS the happier he
grows. A great many sleighs are out to-day
as this snow is about the best one we have had
since Christmas, but one needs pocket full of
money to really enjoy sleghing in and around
the city, where you must pay $40 an hour for a
good team. The livery stable men in Baltimore
are positively beginning to look as happy and
prosperous as the plumbers this winter.
AS every one foretold moderate winter be-
cause of the cool summer that we enjoyed SO
much and your country folks said that the
squirrels were not laying in large supplies of
nuts for winter consumption, Il am afraid the
foolish things have persisted of that complaint
nowD /, with my usual good luck and foresight
in business affairs, sold my sleigh at the first
snow storm we had, knowing that should have
no chance to use it in this warm winter! How
ever | spent part of the proceeds of the sale
upon pair of roller skates and have had more
enjoyment on them than could have gotten
out ola few sleigh rides. We had skating
carnival few nights ago ct the Rink of the
"Olympean Coney Island Club" on Biddle
street near Charles. The Rink is large, with q
floor of rock maple and was gaily decorated
with Japanese fixtures, parasols, fans, &c, with
band of music. About o'clock the masque-
raiders began to roll around on their skates
There was Oscar Wilde" blonde youth in a
velvet suit with large sunhower in his button
hole. | am sure the original Oscar would have
been gratitied, if he can appreciate poetry of
motion, could he have seen how @sthelically
this youth glided over the floor in the most
languid, altogether "too too" manner.
The "Beau and Belle of the Period" looked
pretty, gotten up after the style of our modern
young persons, in which the bellies certainly
looked remarkably well, when not made up two
artistically. "Shes all my fancy painted her"
does very well if no other artist is employed to
assist.
The striped "convict's suit with the ball and
chain seemed to be favorite costume and there
was large proportion of the colored race in
the garb of Topsies and Samboes, dudes, white
washers, and hodcarrers; one coored gentle
man frequently displayed the Characteristic
weapon of the negro, in the shape of very
large tin razor.
"Uncle SANS rallied around in gay and
festive manner clothed in the stars and stripes,
hobnobbing with Indians Negroes, Mexicans,
convicts, cowboys, tramps, old women, and
even the Devil, in the most impartial, friendly
manner. There were so many of his saturnne
majesty rolling around with threatening GEES
lures, as to keep the "convicts" in good order
with the assistance of our police officer, who did
not act his part SO well, because he was always
around and could be found without any difficult
ty!
elephant on roller skates, an ape, Polar
bear and rooster, clothed in feathers of
course, with Cleveland head, who crowed as
gleefuly as if he was proud of his Cabinet of
picked men.
A skating rink in full operation is novel
sight at any time, an excellent place to see the
ups and downs of life.
From the foot l will go to the head, to the
ninth anniversary exercises of the Johns Hop
kins University, which were held in the new
Gymnasium Hall, on Howard street, at II
O'clock Bishop Paret opened the exercises
with prayer and the University Glee Club sang
very well, after which the President, Daniel e..
Gilman, made a fine address upon the design and
uses of a University Degrees were conferred
upon four students. But the most interesting
part of the exercises to many, was the oppor-
tunityafforded them of seeing Lieut.. Greely, the
Arctic explorer, whom President Gilman intro
duced in such an affecting manner, referring to
his terrible experiences in the cause of science,
and our pleasure in having him here with us in
safety once more, that unexpected tears sur
prised many of the audience who were unused
to such manifestations of feeling in themselves.
Lieut.. Greedy is a very handsome man, seeming
ly about six feet in height, has full, dark beard
and mustache is slender and of very iutellec-
tual appearance. He has not yet recovered
from his exposure evidently, as he walks but
slowly and is Obliged to wear broad, easy boots.
He looks like man who has had too terrible a
pact to be spoiled by any amount of lionizing
that he may receive in the future. Some ladies
crowded around him as he was leaving the Hall,
for the purpose of obtaining his autograph, and
although he did not look it, l think he must have
felt that he wished them banished to his last
years winter quarters for a few minutes, to
cool off their il-tmed enthusiasm.
From TO 10 2. NJ social reception was
held in the same Hall, which was ''perfect
JAM" intellectual jam, Isuppose, but it was well
mixed with preserves and sweets in the shape of
handsome matrons and pretty girls. A long
table was spread with cakes, Ice cream and
lemonade for those who wished, and seemed to
to be well patronized by old and young, grave
and gay, intellectual and rice versa
JUyENTUs.