News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-02-04
CRUISE OF THE ICICLE.
BY JULIA X. HILDRETH.

eugene, come down to Mr.. Turn.
er's boat-house. He has just fastened
his ice-boat up, and want to see how
it Is made"
"'Do you mean that queer looking
thing we saw flying over the ice yester-
day, stevel"
SO fast1 l wish had one."
$50 do I. How splendid it would be
to go skimming over the ice before the
wind like thatp'
Eugene Bently and Stephen Hules
lived in the little village of Mossbank,
on the Hudson. The winter had set in
very early that year. and already the
river was frozen hard for miles.
The boys had enjoyed themselves
greatly skating near the shore, until one
day Mr.. Turner, gentleman who owned
a handsome house close to the bank,
PSvchaeSu q -st.~ngo-leoking serafts half
sled, half boat.
It moved over the ice with such ease
and swiftness that Eugene and Stephen,
who had never seen an ice-boat before,
became quite disgusted with their slower
mode of progress, and Stephen secretly
determined to have one like it if posi-
BILE.
When the boys reached Mr.. Turner's
boat house there was no one in sight, so
they felt free to examine and comment
on the boat at their leisure.
"Why it is nothing but thrce-corn-
cred frame on runners" said Stephen
Hules, after he had walked around the
ice-boat several times.
"And the sail is exactly like your
fathers yacht-sail, only smaller" ex-
claimed Eugene.
81 tell you what l mean to do, Eu-
gene" cried Stephen, excitedly. Il
mean to ask father to let me use the
spar, boom and sail of the yacht, then
we can make an ice-boat for ourselves. "
''Do you think so9" said Eugene,
doubtfully. ''See here, Steve, the run
ner in the stern moves on a pivot, and
is guided by the helm"
81 see," replied Stephen, admiringly.
In less than an hour the boys were
busy selecting materials for their ice
boat, as Stephen had received permits
sion to use the yacht-sail, providing he
did not in any way spoil 1t for the
yacht.
1t was not until five o'clock the next
day that theirs was completed; then
when they hauled the frame out of the
shed to step the mast and put a few fin
ishing touches here and there, Eugene
brought out small pot of red paint and
brush.
"Well, now, Steve" said he, "what
are Won pOinO to call itgt
'I've got itr' cried Stephen. "Call
her the 1cicle."
"First-rate," exclaimed Eugene,
kneeling down, and proceeding to form
the letters across the bow.
When this was finished it was quite
dark, and the boys were obliged to de,
fer their trial-trip until the next day.
The next day as soon as they had
finished breakfast, Eugene and Stepher
made haste to pull their ice-bOat dowr
to the river. The wind was fresh, the
sky cloudless, and the ice as solid a.
stone
The boat proved grand success
and flew over the surface of the froZeI
water of the Hudson River with aston
ishing velocity. Eugene managed the
tiller, while Stephen took charge of the
sail and sheet line The Icicle could
sail before the wind, tack, and come
about just like sail-boat, only with
much more ease and swiftness.
They had been out less than an houl
when Mr.. Turner appeared on the
shore. After looking at the Iciclt
earnestly for moment, he climbed into
his own boat and drew rapidly toward
them
When he was within a few yards hi
called out:
"Why, boys, who made your ice
boat2"
"We made it ourselves, Mr.. Turner,
replied Scephen. at is only rough
looking affair, but it seems to work al
right.
ut is a little rough, it is true, bu
that is of no consequence at all, sale
Mr.. Turner, inspecting the boat closely
"You have built it for speed, see
You carry rather more sail than | thinl
| exactly safe. You had better drop tn
peak when you catch gust Will yol
try her against the Ice Queen2"
Eyes, sir, thank you" cried the boy
in concert, for they were greatly fiat
tered and pleased by Mr.. Turner's pro
posal.
Mr.. Turner brought the Ice Queel
within few feet of the Icicle. The tw,
boats presented great contrast-on
with its lily-whlte sail, smooth, re,
frame and shining gilt letters, and tn
other of a uniform gray color, her sal
old and patched in many places, thoug1
large and strong.
Eugene felt rather dismayed as he nc
ticed the difference, but Stephen whis
pered, encouragingly:
1--WE will beat, am sure"
II think, said Mr. Turner, ''it wi
be safer to go up the river, for down bc
low the bend the ice is thin"
| Yes. sir. :" replied Eugene. "Fathe