The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-04-15
THE SKATING RACE.
How Bob Tracy Captured the
Bicycle.

Long Bend Pond was like a mirror
Its shore was lined with the Tonsvills
people. Old Squire Tousvil. who was
referee of the great skating race, had
with due dcliberatiou and sundry raps
with his long staff walked to the cen
ter of the big curve and tested the ice
by laundering upon it with an iron
spike.
This was unnecessary. All knew
that the ice was safe. There had been
a steady freeze for 4 week, but Squire
Tonsvn was a man of consequence in
louisville township, and liked to
show it.
The place had been named for his
father. He felt the Importance, too, Of
being chosen referee.
The squire turned to the shore.
.'Thct ice would hold Noay's Ark
he said. I'm. an all the critters, tew.
I'm! you boys get on your gliders and
line up"
The boys, who were indicated by Z
wave of the hand Immediately tossed
their coats TO their friends and lined
up opposite a little flag made Of
piece of red flannel tied TO a wire
which had been fixed in the ice.
All louisville inhabitants were out to
see this race. Hardly 4 family lived
within ten miles which was not in
some way related TO At least one Of the
ten stalwart 1.-the young men who
stood, with flushed checks, bright,
eager eyes, and bodies poised At the
starting line, waiting for the signal
The race was TO be slSatcd over
course five miles long, going and com
ing-two miles and half TO the end Of
Long Bend pond and return. To the
winner would be presented a safety
bicycle of the best manufacture.
I Five of the competitor were broth
ers-Georgc, James. Henry AID Bob"
Tracy. John was tweuty-threc years
old, and Bob was sixteen: and the
others were I'm between"
One of the other racers was Jack
Hilliari, a tall, merry young fellow,
Just back from college. Long Bend
pond lay upon his fathers farm.
Another was sam Williams. agile,
splendid on rush. but ''short-wiulcd;'
and the other three were VIII Walters,
Joe Howard and Harvey Simms.
The Tracy boys were all fine spcci-
mems of active young manhood. Henry
and Bob were young giants; Henry
was six feet and one inch in his stock
ing-fcet. Bob was one inch shorter.
All the Tracy boys were fond OF one
another, but Henry and Bob were in
scparable. "Fling a stone At Bob,
the ncighbors said, land you'u hit
Henry" The best of feeling, for that
matter, prevailed among all the con
tcstauts.
With one hand Squire Tonsvil held a
huge red bandana handkerchief at
arm's-length, while with the Other he
held his timcpiece, which he regarded
intently.
Suddenly the handkerchief futtered
and dropped. Before the stentorian
''Go,' from the squire had reached the
air, ten figures were gliding swiftly a
dozen yards away.
The spectators, silent before, set up
n great shout. Each competitor had
so many friends on the bank that moth
ing bat medley of yells could be
heard.
Sam Williams, with 4 splendid rush,
SKINNED by the others, who, though
going at a fast pace, We're skating
steadily. Williams friends howled
with delight
The cheering proved too much for
VIII Walters, Joe Howard and Harvey
Simms. 1t excited them to undue ef-
fort at the start They forged ahead,
too, and before half mile was COW
cred they We're abreast of sam.
Except for the sharp ring of the
skates on the ice, everything was 81
lent. The shouts of the anxious
friends at the starting-poin were now
hushed. The skaters were out of sight
at the bend.
Struggling little now, the racers
made no noise All their energies
were needed in their work. They had
no breath to spare. With bended bod
les they swung steadily forward, with
long, muscular strokes
Once only a little excitement was
caused. Sam Williams, still going at
faster pace than was wise, caught
his skate IN protruding twig. He
fell heavily and slid several yards
He was on his feet in an instant, and
with forced rush reached his former
place at the head. The fall, however.
had hurt his knee; and that, com bined
with the exhaustion produced by his
sudden spurt, was fatal to his chances.
He was winded when the turning point
was reached
In response to cheers and 'catcalls"
of those gathered at-.this point, VIII
Gams called up all his force and forged
ahead for about a hundred yards more
But steady and sure" is a better
motto than make haste" II was but
a short time after this before the Tracy
boys and Jack Hilliard, who had never
varied their fast bu. steady stroke,
came on in bunch, each stroke send.
ing them nearer and nearer the -four
struggling skaters at the front.