Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-11
CITY AND DISTRICT.
How the Boys Have Enjoyed Them
selves During the Week.

SiEG2Sss BOWN HsAIass
How the Boy. Have Enj"ycd Them
selves During the Week.
THE EVOLUTION OF THE .TRUcK"-How TIE CRAFT
IL NAvIGATRp-A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN
The BOYS AND THE ro1IcE-sILHoCETrKs ON
BACKGROUND OF SNOW.
Given boy and snow and sled IL sure to ap-
pear II 20 the boy and the snow Is added hill
with a good long incline. there will be- another
step In the evOutfon-a truck" Will be developed
A truck Is a combination OF two or more sleds
decke,i over with a board the forward sled being
so attached that IL IS free 20 swing from side to
side on q pivot There have been many trucks
produced in Washington during the past week, for
there has been much snow, besides the usual
supply OF boys and hills. The slopes about the
capitol have been the principal coasting places,
and the sport has been continued these moonlft
nights until long after the hour when most good
boys are supposed TO be abed. As the snow in the
roadways has been badly cut up by the passage OF
wagons, the boys have, on several OF the streets,
appropriated the sidewalks 10 their sport. There
has been SOME difference OF opinion between the
boys and the police authorities "a to the propriety
Of defeating the sidewalks 10 this purpose, but
this has only added zest TO the pleasure, for
OupostS stationed at street corners give notice OF
the approach OF the policeman, and the boys
scamper out OF reach when the cry OF 'cop" is
which such occasions bring 10 them. Many way
flrers piodding up or down the hill seem TO take
sidewalk for slide
When truck loaded with four or 1ve boys
comes rushing down upon such an iDconSderate
person the consequences are not always pleasant.
The person IN the way is at a loss which side TO
turn. The bog who is steering gets, as the boys
say, ratified The truck instead OF speeding on
Hae an arrow in a straight line begins To woo0e.
Tie uncertainty OF the person In the road is
greatly increased. especially as the truck shows
Indications OF coming at him broadsde foremost.
the truck and its load and the unlucky wayfarer
rolling owe. and over one another, and all the
boys within a square are shouting themselves
hoarse Tie poica obstinately persist in taking
the side OF the citizen who is endPavoring 10 walk
w the hill They have succeeded In intimidating
few boys, who, In dread OF collision with the
authorities, Will actually wait until the path Is
clear before starting down the hill. These boys,
however, are In u small minority. The great
majority resent the interference Oh The police, and
seriously consider the advisabity OF appointing a
committee OF one hundred to endeayor to obtain
some recognition of the laws of gravity and other
natural laws that make boys Slide down hill.
AN ANIMATED SIGHT.
The sight on a street slide when the boys are
out in full force is animated. II the Side is con-
fined to the narrow limits OF the sidewalk the
noise is increased. There are two boys truck
on whom the success of the whole venture de-
ponds the one behind who does the pushing at
The start and the one in 'front.' who lies prone on
boys have only 70 SIT steady and keep their feet
of the ground. The boy in front not only has to
guide the sled, but has TO do the shouting.
TIE BOY WHO YyLLs.
As the truck speeds along, il any returning
truck party any slow concern is In the way in
front, the pilot gives series OF unearthy yells as
signal forthe Obstructing persons to clear the
road. These yel,s for the most part unintel-
lgible to the uninit1ated spectator the hooting
Of wild barSarians but every infection seems to
be well understood by the boys. '.Toot toot toot,
hi vi, hi VI walla walia, tOOt!r IS one combination
oil shrieks scattered along The hillside y the pilot
lag-ry varifp call 10 nplt in
look IN, look in" This IS supposed to have been
OF the truck IS assumed 10 be looking out, and the
persons In tie way must '.iOok in
THE TRUCKS.
Some of the trucks consist merely OF two sleds,
lashed together for the time and without any
Joard atop. Others are quite elaborate affairs,
some 'double deckerS" having . raised deck on
which the passengers can sit at case, with their
feet clear or tie ground. Some have little rails ut
The side, TO which the passengers can cling with
nsT nan nus one lnc hos 1 on tne New Jersey
pilot was relieved OF the necessity OF shouting.
Another one had an arrangement like the handle
bar OF a bicycle, By means OF which the little sled
forward could he turned and the truck steered.
These trucks hold from five TO ten boys, according
10 their length. As a rule the forward bog lies on
his face and has his feet in the face OF the boy
next behind him. The boys behiEd sit with their
faces to the front and their legs twisted up so as
TO occupy as little space as possible. 4 small
space u about six inches Is left behind for the
plsher 10 jump on when he Is through pushing.
piles his hands 10 the shoulders OF the last bog
and runs behind the truck until it has got under
good speed Then he jumps upon the little space
left for him. The most daring pushers stand up
right on this space, and occasionally when the
truck is left behind II don't want to be the feI-
low TO do the pushing" said a small boy who was
explaining the my teries OF the truck to STAR
reporter. 'Doggoned If he don't get left too
much"
GIRLS on Sled
Now and then a truck will have among its pas.
sengers carefully placed In the middle where they
lcan hold on TO the boys in front and rear TWO or
more girls or young women, whose dragging dresses
frequently throw all the calculations of the pilot
out OF joint. The progress OF such sled down the
hill Is marked rot only by the boots OF tine pilot
but shrek after shrek Oh the af1righted females,
whose screams gradually taper down to hysteric
Side Boys under fifteen look with contempt upon
such Passengers, and viii not take them. Boys
over niteen seem rather 10 like 70 carry them.
BLACK AND WHITE.
One street on Capitol Hin was occupied almost
entirely by colored boys. To the loOker-on this
slide afforded the most Interesting sight. Thecol-
ored youth of all ages, from bow-legged urchlns in
ragged kits TO long and lank youths who in some
cases needed kits or-something else TO cover the
defects OF their trousers. assembled on this MIL
There was as wide variety in the SeGiS and trucks
as IN the ages and sizes OF their owners !. long,
legged youth, Iuliy six feet HIGH with very short
coat, trousers that barely reached his ankles and
little dirty tippet around his neck was in high
cigar box. By wonderful cOntortionS he managed
20 curl his body up so that he could descend the
hill on this sled without dragging part or his own
length on the ground. When ne reached the bot
tom or the Side he gave Wild wbOOD OF iOy
AID slowly plodded back UP the hill realizing in
his upward journey that the sweets OF life are
only gained by toll. Another party consisted OF
two half grown boys, who Jumped about TO keen
their fee warm and blew their freezing fingers
and two girls with their feet wrapped IN In old
WOODEN stockings. This quartet was not troubled
BY the skirts OF the girls dragging on the ground
Their pref and limp garments We're tightly
tElSJed about their limb, that they offered no
einoarraSslaent 20 their movements youth In a
ragged coat and pair OF boots much too IaT~e for
hin was tl- proud skipper OF little sled he had
made himself Out OF an old box. He smoked the
stump OF cigar In serene content and di5lain-
fully declined all requests from boys m let Them
have 81 draw az the cigar. In order to get the
fu oeHent OF The cigar he sat astFide his Sled and
got his start by using stick which he used as a
canoeist plies double paddle showing first ON one
side and then on the other until he was
Under Roadway. SIe6is and trucks passed
up and down Ia lively measure, and the voices OF
the music-lOving urchns seemed 10 find a new
melody that chined in with the cracking OF the
snow and The grinding OF the runners. Tie black
faces and dark figures moving swiftly by made
fantastic Sihouettes against the white background
OF STOW.
E10ped with an Indian.
TIE DAUGHTER OF A BROOKLYN PALE FACE INPArU.
ATED WITH A WILD wEsI RED NAN
Says the New York Sun. While Judge Weed was
al DINNER al his home IN Hudson street. Jersey
nj NJ lf.rI-