Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-23

Animated ssa Ps~s"rsssne see"'s ."
an. Ssssswx. ssresss. ef Holland.
- t.s...s fza0affa

Ia that odd country, where up-tfklns
,n. on The down line and the cows are
tied 10 the ceiling by their tails, q
rrea. many things 50 by contfaries.
and skating is opc Of them. The weary
waiting ior black frost to solidify the
y,,srs Of deep lakes and treschsrocs
nopds which IN Baglsnd tantalIzss the
nos,essor OF "Aemes." prevents his
slecping Of nights, and drives skate
.natefs 10 suicide. Is 10 the Hol-
l.nde, an uukno~n modification.
No, tha, be can obtain frost by
wishing for Il, any more than the
WIND will rise By whisling from g
hin therefor but comparatively
Sigh, Frost serves his turn, and bis
skkting il attended with much less
danger Than always turks beneath the
frozen surface Of mere. In 3 land
" hich can be inundated ~ lew hours
sharp winter brings the best OF sksaog
TO every bo6y's door. Skating Is. To-
Deed. almost the only violent exercise
for which The Dntehrnan has any liking;
and in the winter be holds high carnival
on the ice. The number Of skating
clubs between northern Brabnni and
Groningen is infinite; but il is in the
provinces north Of the Zuyder Zee
Fritslsnd and GroniDgen--thst the best
skaters are 10 be found. These are the
classical training. grounds Of the Datoh
ice-aTtists.
when there is likelihood Of 3 frost,
The only thing necessary 70 secure
good d" surface " is 10 open the sluices
used for irrigation and inunasie the
great fiat meadows. The operation Is
supeiiniended by representatives Of the
skating clubs IN the neighborhood. A
space Of some six or eight thousand
feet in circumference IS staked out
around q given point, TIE water Is al
lowed 10 flow ID until il is Of con-
venitnt depths, and the sluices are then
closed. Directly the ice Is sufficiently
thick this winter il has sometimes NOT
been more than three or four inches,
owing to the impstience Of skaters
10 be lat It," but it is usually much
6epser.} q number Of workmen are told
of 70 keep IT clear OF SNOW. should any
fall, and TO sweep il carefully at fire.
ouent intervals. Then begin q success
sion Of skating competitions. These
competitions are gotten up by the local
skating club sometimes they are inter-
national. but clubs and individuals are
constantly competing among themselves.
The prizes offered on these occasions
are often Of considerable money value,
and the funds for providing them are
supplied by the small sum charged for
admission to the skating ground and
entrance fees paid by the competitors.
All The world skates when there Is ice,
Tor skating is o. universal accomplish
ruent among all classes; :, and the buX-
-ou-almOst too buXom-Dutch ladies'
glide along with an ease and grace which
come asa surprise 10 the foreigner who
has remarked the swkwardness OF their
carriage in the streets. There are
fashionable and Questionable hours for
skating, as for al things else. even IN
Holland. " here fashion is less lmPerl-
on, than in some other countries. To
tie morning the society people dis
port themselves in the afternoon come
he ,rs5ssmen and their wives; while
in the evening the ice Is crowded with
workueople aDd others whose business
allows them no liberty till then. On
the competition days the ice Is reserved,
during specified hours, TO those who
pirouette on skates for peli.
The best skaters, and those who
carry away the largest number OF
prizes, are usually crack members OF
crack clubs. As soon as the COMPETE
tons and the value Of the prizes are an
noupced. the clubs scrutlnlze the lists
and decide what prizes their members
shall compete for. Those who are to
represent the club are Of course chosen
for their skill each society is. there
fore, certain Of being represented 10y It's
best men. AS all the expenses OF the
representative TO. from, and during 3
competition are paid by the club, the
rank and file Of the members have an
iDducement 10 excel likewise; for 1t IS
possible IN this way 10 obtain a good
many pleasant holidays in the course Of
winter without spending anything.
The money won becomes the property
Of The club; and al the end Of the sea-
son the total is equally divided among
The members, & small balance only
being carried over 10 the following WIN
tel.
The champions Of the respective elaoi
60 into training as severely as probes
sional pedestrians and bicyclists. FOL
week OF eight days before the com
pe,i,ion they live quietly and sparingly
and drink bat little schnApps. The 40
stinenoe Of the national beverage, with IL
favor Of common gin IN which warE
candle end has been actively stirred
must be severe trial 10 well-regu
lated Dutch constitution. During th'
octave Of training the champion doe
very little work, abandoning HIM
self 10 1epose, and, oddly enough
appears but rarely on the ice
When the hour fixed for IN
competition arrives be is careful not &
show himself until the last moment
and then places himself in evidence
with dramatic suddenness. The con
PETITIONS are usually Of three classes
swiftness, elegance, and the clearing o
obstacles. The latter is amazing
difficult even 10 experts; Yet there ar
IL Holland a large number Of skater
who can with ease and grace clear, II
full career, the straw-covered space
intended TO represent natural obstacle
on the ioe.
The most rapid " record Of tn
present season has been made not by 1
HolInder, but by Dane named Choir
valid, who al Copenhagen skSied dis
lance Of $500 feet in three minute
and iorty-four seconds. This feat CAV
him the victory over PAulsen, the Ham
burg skater. himself the vaDquiSher 0
the famous Dutch artist " Brulnsms
Who was for some time the first Of con
tinent&l skaters. Il may be interestin
10 add that The best Dutch skaters d