The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-02-10
The Battle on skates.


Once upon time King Philip Of Spain
vent TO war with Holland, the country
where The land Is lower than the sea-ley-
el and there have 10 be big walls, called
dikes. to keep the water from sweeping
over the fields. This fight was desper-
ateone, for King Philip was 50 -esger to
subdue the country that he waged the
war with aFf the means at his command.
He sent to Holland, as his commandr-in-
chief, the Dukg Of Alva, Spanish noble
man and 4 famous general After the
war had been going On a long time, and
many towns had been seized, the Duke
ssw that If be coul 4 take Amsterdam ne
could easily overcome the resi- Of Holland,
-bul between Amsterdam and the Kings
forces lay the city Of Haarlem.
The Duke sent his son Don Frederick
to capture Harlem The city was a.
most surrounded by water, then frozen
over. as it was winter. There were few
ships lying near Hsarlem, but they were
held fast by the ice, and might easily
have been captured had not the sailors
duga ditch all around them, and foTti-
fed them against the enemy.
As soon as Don Frederick arrived, he
sent 8 body of soldiers to attack the ships
The soldiers marched out 10 the vessels,
but as they came near body Of armed
men on skates sprang from the trench.
The Hollanders were used to skating
from their very babyhood, for in winter
the canals and sea were frozen for miles
around, and everybody skated. Not on
IL did they skate for fun, but to market
and their daily business, just as easily
and far more quickly than they could
walk. They used to have games and
sham battles on the ice, so that when
there was need Of real fighting, they
knew what to do.
But the Spaniards lived in southern
country where there Is little ice, and they
never went sliding or skating. When
they saw the Hollanders dart out at them,
their feet shod with steel, appearing al
most to fly in the air, they thought the
enemy must be aided by witcheraft
They were tempted to run, such was their
amazement and torror
However, when the bullets came flying
among them, they tried to pick up their
courage and fight. But their efforts were
feeble, for, unable to keep their footing
on the slippery surface, they would stun
bic and fall, while the Hollanders would
glide by unframed and send their bull
lets TO the mark.
The Hollanders were victorious; and
when they drove the Spaniards of the
ice, several hundred Of the enemy lay
dead, while the conquerors scarcely suf-
/ fered any loss. When the Duke heard
Of this defeat be was much surprised
and decided that be would not be beat
en- again in that way.
50 he ordered seven thousand pairs Of
skates and ommanded all the soldiers
to learn to skate. They had fun while
learning, but not long afterward were
able to handle their weapns on ice as
boldly as the HolIanders. But they had
/ little occasion to make use of this accom-
plishment, for sudden thaw and food
made it possible for the ships to sail
away, and the sailors, brave hearts were
cheered by the sudden frost that followed
and rendered them safe from a naval at
tack for some time.
The Spaniards soon after captured
Harlan, but they had to fight hard 70
take it, for the city was well fortified and
the people brave.-FsJufaTy s.. Nich0ias