The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1892-03-17
FIGHTING ON SKATES.
Novel Battle Between SPaniards and Hols
lAnderS.

landers.
Once upon a time King Philip. Of
Spain, went to war with Holland, tho
country where the land is lower than
the sea-level and there have to 10 big
walls, called bikes, to keep the water
from sweeping over the fields This
fight was a desperate one, for King
Philip was so eager to subdue the coun-
try that he wa2ed the war with all tho
means at his command He sent to
Holland, as his chief, the
duke OF Alva, q spanish nobleman and
famous general After the war had
been going on a long time, and many
towns had been seized, the duke saw
that it he could take Amsterdam he
could easily overcome the rest Of Hol-
land-but between Amsterdam and
the kings forces lay the city of Haar-
lem.
The duke sent his son Don Frederick
to capture Harlem The city was al
most surrounded by water, then frozen
over, as it was winter. There were q
few ships lying near Harlem, but tsey
were held fast by the ice, and might
easily have been captured had not
the sailors dug q trench all around
them, and fortified them against tho
enemy.
AS soon as Don Frederick arrived no
sent body OF soldiers to attack tho
ships. The soldiers marched out to 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 win
ter the canals and sea were frozen for
miles around, and every body STATED.
Not only did they skate for fun, but to
market and their daily business, Just as
easily and far moro quickly than they
could walk. They used to have games
and sham battles on the ice, so that
when there was need for 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, ap.
pearing almost to fly in the air, they
thought the enemy must be aided by
witchcraft! They were tempted TO
run, such was their amazement and ter.
rOr.
However, when the bullets came Nv
ing among them. they tried to pick up
their courage and fgl& But their ef-
forts were feeble, for, unable to keen
their footing on the slippery surface,
they would stumble and fall, while tho
Hollandsrs would glide by unframed
and send their bullets to the mark.
The Hollanders were victorious: and.
when they drove the Spaniards of tho
ice, several hundred of the enemy Law
dead, while the conquerors scarcely
suffered any loss When the duke
heard of this defeat he was much sur.
prisei. aud decided that he would not ba
beaten again in that way.
So hs ordered seven thousand psir.
OF skates, and commanded all the .ol-
diers to learn to skate. They had fun
while learning, but not long afterward
were able to handle their weapons On
ice ~ boldly as the Hollanders Rrt
they had little occasion to make use If
this now accomplishment for a sudden
thaw and flood made it possible for thu
ships to sail away, and tho sailors,
brave spirits were much cheered bv tn.
sudden frost that followed and rendered
them safe from naval attack for :.
time.
The sp.niards soon after captured
HARLEM. but they had to fight h.rd tn
take 1t, for the city, was we'll fortiaed
and the people brave.-St Nicholaa. -
A Re,narkable Wome,
MT Bronst2n-Miss Braney, the