Iron County register., 1892-03-03
THE REQUIEM OF THE RINK.
Seedy Relic of the Days Now Gone Fer
ever. 1t is Knueh.


a seedy Relic of the Days Now Gone For
ever, 1t is Hoped.
Roller Skating at the Rink To-
night, was the painted legend over
the entrance to the great hall on State
street, just south of Thirtyfirst street.
There futtered and dropped the canvas
Sign that few years ago would have
called enlisted hundreds from every
highway and byway, and now it half
retreated from the crouded streets
where passed not one 80 poor to do it
reverence. The sign was old; and it
had outlived its day of triumph; the
new lettering seemed lined in all the
sorrow of a painted face once beautiful
When night came and one thousand
lights fiickered and glared along the
street, the sign seemd more in its ele-
ment- a German band came out and
played Strauss waltzes and a few of
the old guard, all with medals and sill
Terctlpped skates, struggled into the
hall.
Again there was roller-skatinr at
the rink. There was the trick skater,
the erstwhile roller queen, the abund-
ant small boy, little girls that looked
oAA anu ttcJEi, IIe man VINO
was never on rollers. That man in the
pea-jacllet and water-slicked hair is
great trick skater. He does look a lit
tie seedy now, but then he used to be
such Il swell. Hundreds would come to
see him alone. He is doing his best
monogram" now. There is a woman
watching him. She must weigh at
least two hundred pounds. She has
two little urchins on her lap, both
with dirty faces and few clothes. Who
is it? Why, that is Mrs. Becker now,
her husband is saloonkeeper You
may remember her as the dashing
Mile. D'Allervini, who used to be such
queen at the Princess rink and nightly
sped over a hundred hearts with her
gold-tipped rollers.
Over the sounding floor are circling
the skaters, few in numbers. old in
years. The German band did its best,
but it could not awaken the enthusiasm
of the absent thousands. It PLAYED the
Turkish Patrol" What splendid mu-
sic once for roller skating
little woman, unnoticed before,
leans over the gallery rail and looks at
the musicians. She is almost alone in
the big east gallery. Here face is re-
fined but lined with sorrow. That man
next to her with the waXed mustache
is her husband. The little woman looks
far beyond the blazing lights, and from
the outer darkness cOnjures up dead
memories. She grows ashamed of the
dull animal beside her whom forever
she must call husband. But once she
was SO proud of him, She met him at
the rink He was 4 beautiful skater
and that was enough. Everyone. even
in her choice coterie, was glad to listen
to his words of wisdom on the proper
art of skating, and all were proud to
receive his condescending invitation to
go upon the floor-she with the rest
He had bought her such a pretty pair
of skates, with little white straps and
silver buckets; and then he taught her
all the fancy figures so patiently. And
she married him.
Forcing back the last thought she re-
mem mbered her winter holidays at the
academy. The little frozen lake Just
out of bounds, where tall grasses broke
the winter wind and the sun seemed
ever warm. What hours of happiness
were tossing about in the waters of
the lake! Then came the roller craze.
AIo" Souii BIC ever Stduu tuc noise,
the heat, the flaming gas jets, and the
perfume of CONCEALED perspiration? |
Well. she had.
And there were such halls all over |
the country. There were, not are. |
Now they are all livery stables. variety |
halls, or public dance rooms. ''Say, |
Minna, look at the old dame tryin' to |
get her wheels off," The little woman |
turned around and took up her wrap.
The old guard were filing out of the
hall, the last remnant of the once
great army. passing boy tore down
the loosened sign and threw it in the
street, where a thousand iron-shod
hoofs clattered its equiem.-Chicagc
Tribune.