Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-02-26

cradle cOuutcnHnCc until, unlike the
doughty mariner IN l'naforc, he had risen
above. instead of "gpue below" the alti-
tude where "the brcezes blow" His
beams then began to get in their beneii-
cent work, and ere long the mercury was
induced to come up out of the bulb and
stretch itself While it was getting warm
the hundreds of carnival merry makers
who had been up until late the previous
night celebrating the grand opening of
the toboggan slides, began gradually to
shake OFT the clinging embraces of Nor
pheus and daily with the possible sugges-
ton of rising. Slowly but surely this vague
possibility assumed the aspect of an inn
minent and disagreeable reality, until at
last, fOrbearance ceasing TO be II virtue,
one by one the night-robed and night
capped forms plunged into Il cold world
and u warm toboggan SUIT almost stimuli
taneously, and executed movement by
column upon the breakfast table. This
outpost captured, and its stores and munl-
tons utilized for the fertilization of the
inner man, the grand army OF carnvallers
was again ready for the campaign of
sports. The programme for the day pre-
scented some unusually attractive features,
including the first ice skating tourna-
ment of the week, and Il race on
ice skates. The ice yachting and trotting
races were also looked forward to with
much excitement, the appetites of those
fond of these sports having been thorough
ly whetted by the races of the preceding
day The cOasting, tobogganing and
promenade concert were also attractive
numbers on the programme, while the
| feature OF browning interest to many was
the grand procession OF decorated tray
erses in the evening, for which elaborate
and unique preparations had been made.
Main street was in requisition all day by
/ ,.r,,N L. nj gt.lrs a mt II rn. nI
traverses kept "squaring the circle" go
ing up the hill by College street and
coming down by Main, and hundreds
of fair women and brave men" enjoyed
their first experience of this magnificent
and thrilling sport. The track is now III
absolutely perfect condition, having been
entirely built over on scientific principles
according.to which "sluing' is a mathe-
matical impossibility and moral dis
grace. The plentiful Use of saw dust aud
the removal of the ridge in the centre of
the course, has now made cOasting on
Main street rs safe and almost as enjoy
able pS the sleighing said to have been en-
joyed by the young people OF the South
during the recent cod Snap-ln ing
chair. In spite of the cold, the toboggan
slides had their fun share of patronage,
Wednesday, and the scenes ut the slides i'll
the evening We're gorgeous beyond descrip
ton. The opening of the Senator Ed
munds" slide on st. Paul street, south of
the city, was a magnificent exhibition
of fire, fun and enthusiasm, and could
our honCred senator have been present
| to witness the scene he would undOubted-
ly have remarked that he had not witness
ed such IA splendid display of rhetoric since
he took part in the debates in the Rich
mond lyceum. AT the Myrrhline
slide and on Main street the dis
play was grand, and, as II weIl-known
citizen said To the writer, Away ahead
| 49, h.., Nil, in Mo lt1S ttn
ted FREE PRESS, which everybody sup
posed beforehand must be an eXaggera-
ton" But the scene at the lake, under
the mild splendor of the tLree great
electric lights, ,beggars description
The constant rush Oh the toboggans
passage of the galy-clad toboZganers,
flashing through the fierce glow under
the lamps, and then away into the softer
radiance, and finally fadiLg and melting
out of sight i'll the soft twilight beyond :;
the flaming torches and lights of Devil
derng hueS; the shouts, laughter
and songs OF the merry parties, coming
and going, i'll their quaint, unealthly COS
TUNES over the dazzling snowfall the Sc
sights and sounds made up scene i'll the
midst of which the artist, either in colors
or words, must feel his absolute helpless
ness and insigniticance. The Russian
slide is the only one in the country, with
the exception of that at saratoga which
can boast so grand an illumination by
the electric light. The scene would be
well worth u DAYS journey, were it the
sole attraction of the carnival.
THE PROMENADE CONCERT
Burlingtonians and their visitors had
anot her rich musical treatW ednesday fore
noon at the rink, when Shermans' full
military band gave grand promenade
concert under the auspices OF
the Burlington Coasting club, the
music, being finer if anything than
the concert Tuesday morning. The rink
was looking at its best, having received 4
few additional touches in the way of deco
ratlons, and the preponderance of bright
and variegated toboggan costumes lent ad
ditonal beauty to the scene, Il large pro
portion of those present being dressed il
winter holiday attire; The audience
present was considerably larger than
that of Tuesday morning and al
seemed to enjoy themselves, to the
utmost, the large floor being line,
with promenaders or dotted here and Their,
with many groups whose joyous laughte
filled the intervals between the muslca
selections The members OF the band die
themselves great credit. The programme
: was selected with excellent taste, an'
every selection, was executed with admir-
, able skill and artistic finish. The guest
were heard to pass compliments withon
number upon the excellence of Burllne
tom favorte musical organization and it
= members are to be congratulated upon tn
:, fact that they are deserving of all tn
. praise they received. These concerts hay
e added greatly to the attractions of tn
e week and were highly enjoyed by all VIII
: were so fortunate as to be present
: FANCY SKATING.
ii The ice skating rink was opened Wedne
Il day morning with handsome number {
o artistic skaters and IA large throng {
spectators. The time selected was mos
e opportune, the opening not contlictin
X with other events and the atmosphel
e being clear and bracing, Just right for 81
Il curing the greatest amount of enjoymel
81, from skating. The location selected f.
= the rink could not have been better, 1t b
# ing located in the Central Vermont raj
road slip and surrounded on three sid,
by docks which furnished eNcellel
points of observation for spectators. I'll
l. = -