The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1888-03-16

primeval forest Of pine trees. Only
one clearing had been made among
those old cone-bearing trees, and that
was a recent one and embraced but
few acres The great trunks of the
trees had been hauled to a ship-build-
ing town on the Kennebec for spars
for vessels, while the branches had
been piled in heaps among the huge
rocks that occupied most of the
ground.
1t was the day before Thanksgiving,
the only holiday that New England
knows much about, and about which
the rest of the world knows so very lit
tie. For three nights before the cold
had been very severe for the time of
year, and the newly-formed ice was as
smooth and clear as looking-glass.
The Portland stage and the extra car
riagcs that accompanied it had brought
In most of the persons who were ex-
pected to join in the family reunions.
Brave boys came from the stores of
Boston and the saw-mills of OldtOwn.
Brave girls, beautiful in the devotion
they showed to the families they were
supporting at home. came from the
cOttOu-mills at Lowell and Manchester.
Houses where plain food had been
served for many a week were now
stocked with luxuries, for tomorrow
was Thanksgiving, ''the gladdest, mer-
riest day. of all the year.
What were we to do on that day be-
sides 90 to church and eat the feast
that had been so long in preparation?
Such was the question asked by my
strong, earnest, older friend, who had
come down from Boston to spend
Thanksgiving. 'Skate, of course" 1
answered. But why not try the ice
tonight" he asked. l could see no
reason, and so we went down to the
shore of the pond, fastened on our
skates, and flew, as it were, over the
CLASSY surface to the cove, where the
piles of resinous boughs stood. Once
there, we conceived the idea of skating
back to the village, collecting the
young men and women, boys and girls,
taking suitable provisions for picnic,
placing them all in sleighs and on
sleds, drawing them over to this place,
and eating a supper on the rocks,
amid the glare of the burning tree
tops.
We were not long in carrying out
our plans, for almost every house had
its sleigh and skaters, and the persons
who were destitute of either were
taken care of by their neighbors. In
an hour the little lake was in possess
sion of the merriest skating party it had
/ axrov. l-povt-y, And than tho cv7rr,a,. tho
bonfires. the songs and the merry
making. Even now I shudder to think
of such boisterous sport with impend-
ing death so very near. The sport
was over at length, the apples and
mince pies eaten, the cider drank,
| the songs sung, the stories told, and
the once great flames among the resin
Gus pine needles were now smoldering
among the larger limbs or lingering in
the stumps and roots. 1t was clearly
time to go. and the company was ar
ranging itself in little groups as it had
done when it came over.
Tie all the sleighs and sleds to.
gether. " nv strong friend shouted, as
he stood upon n rock among tho
lingering flames. The order from the
leader was soon obeyed. The little
vehicles were arranged from ten tx
| twenty feet apart, according to the
length of the ropes or leading lines
that we had, and three or four skaters
! were stationed between them. Then
two much longer ropes were stretched
on either side. Of which some twenty
skaters took hold. With shout and
whoop, such as Indians give when
rushing into battle, we started on the
ice. The line. first straight, or waver
ing where the poorest skaters were
soon took the form of a crescent, ant
with the clamor of voices and the graf
ing of the skates we proceeded RICH
joyfully.
My strong friend and l were on tn,
same side, and held the place neaees
the sleighs. We had not proceeded ia
before L perceived that the ice wa
bending in front of us, and l coult
clearly hear it crack, amid the noise o
the skaters. 1 spoke not a word
but looked intently into my com
panion's face, l only thought that s.
long as we kept in motion as we wer
then doing, we might pass the ter11bl
danger. But l knew very well if tn
true state of affairs became known
panic would spread along the line
some skaters would drop out, and tn
sleighs and their precious burden mus
sink to the bottom.
can never forget the horror of tina
moment-a moment that seemed a.
age. was faint myself, bur l shud
dered lest some skater should fall o
learn the situation. / could not speal
for fear, but / most feared that Othe
2 voices would stop and that the crack
ing of the ice should be heard by tn
women, who would be sure to scream
My eyes were fixed on my companion
face. l was fairly drawn along owe
the curving ice, that seemed to lis
higher before us every moment Col
, sweat was on my forehead, but coul
not loosen my hand from the rope &
wipe it off, My friend noticed that
was lagging-I. who was so expert
skater. His eye caught mine, and b.
that sort of intuitive knowledge we ar
endowed with in times of great danger
he became aware of our dreadful situs
, ton. heard the cracking of the ice, say
, it, felt it rising in front of US.
What did the strong man do? File
like coward from the dangers he ha
brought us to, and escape to the land
I Did the alarm seize him that had over
, powered me? Far otherwise. Raisin
his voice so it could be heard over th
din of the skaters and the merry voice
of those in the sleighs, he shouted
"Sing Coronation; all sing, so we ca
time our strokes" and without lower
ing his voice he sang:
E ''AQ hail the power of Jesus namei
Let angels PROSTATE fall