The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-12-24
Our Untried Friend, or Enemy, Jack
Frost Creeping About.
THERMOMETER STANDS AT a.
The Red Ball Is Up at Burgess Square, and
the Boys and Girls Are Skating at the
Park-The Prospects for the Ice Har-
vest Are Now Good.
"The red ball is upr'

| To the uninitiated the words contain
no significance, but to the initiated what
world OF Joy and happiness is implied
| by that red ball, aud those who are In the
| dark as TO its meaning, are soon made
| aware of the fact that when that much
worshiped ball is hung from the top Of
| one of the tall flag stats it is an indica-
| tion that there Is skating at Roger Will
liams Park, and for a time the young
people make things lively until the old
skates arc resurrected and sharpened in
| preparation for days enjoyment Of the
| exhilarating sport.
The cold snap Of the past few days has
done wonders for the lovers of skating
and as the mercury in the thermometers
steady dropped lower and lower until no
| trace OF 1t could be seen in the tubes, the
| spirits OF the young people rose higher
and higher in proportion. Last nights
cold spell put the finishing touches on
the Ice and very available pond and
pool in the vicinity of the city is covered
with q thick mirror-like surface of ice
The many lakes at Roger Williams
Park always attract a large throng of
skaters and Supt. Hathaway, in prepara-
ton for his guests has been hard at work
for the last two days in getting things in
r adiness for the opening Of the season.
This morning the final preparations were
made and at an early hour the big ball was
run up at the junction Of High and Gran
ston streets aud the season was for
mally opened.
1t was but a few minutes after the ball
was displayed when the streets were
fairly alive with crowds of young people
all heading towards the park and crowd
ing the horse cars TO suffocation. Bevies
OF pretty girls raced over the banks at the
park aud We'd with each other in putting
on the runners. Aud then wnen
every strap was tight and cloaks
snugly buttoned up to the chin
they started off. at first trifle timid
then growing bolder and bolder until
they flew with the speed of the swallow
hither and thither over the polished sur
face. Soon the ponds were covered with
"a RAPIDLY moving throng of skaters, the
scene continually changing until the
eyes OF the spectators involuntarily
closed with WEAKNESS at the spectacle.
On the lakes all was life and animation
Rosy checked lassies charged down the
broad expanse OF ice. hand in hand with
bright-eyed youngsters, the rapidly NOV
ing steels giving out a clear ring on the
frosty air Huge bonfires were burning
at in ervals along the banks and on rus
tic benches placed at convenient distances
from the fires the young people thawed
out irost-bitten fingers and toes, aud car
ried out the Irritation to perfection.
In the evening, however. the scene
battles description. The numerous cleo
trio lights casting their glare on the shin
ing expanse only seem to make the sh ad-
ows deeper by contrast aud the ruddy
glow from the bonfires seem like beacons
beckoning the cold skater to comfort 1t
is then that the ponds are covered almost
TO overfiowing and one mas To be espec-
ally expert in keeping his feet to skate in
safety.
OF course the opening of the skating
season IS not without its amusing features
and many are the carefully covered up
traits of human uatura that cron nut ut
unexpected moments on the ice. There
is nothing under the sun that so lowers
man in his own estimation and that Of
his friends as to suddenly, and without
premeditation, assume sitting posture
on the ice with such violence as TO cause
"a long crack TO extend from the base of
his spine clear across the pond. And
then there is the blundering idiot
who tottess along on his skates
like u man on stills, his feet always going
In opposite directions, causing him the
hardest work In the world to keep his per-
peudicular. He is the man who comes
tearing like mad down the centre of the
pond. his arms and legs working like
pistons In unison. plunging here aud
there into groups OF young people, and
eventually bringing up on the bank,
where he assumes the position of an
ostrich, attempting to hide from pursu-
ers. or catching his skates on twig, goes
shooting like n meter head first along the
ice. This is the man who should be sup
pressed, and it would be justiliable act
10 seize him aud tic him -te-eae of the
benches whenever he makes his appear
ance on the pond.
AS "A matter of course George" and
his best girl will be there, and his efforts
to teach her to strike out" cause no
little amusement. She is so timid and
afraid offalling that she usually manages
to fall ut almost every other step, until
poor Georges back and head are almost
broken in striving To keep the perpendicu-
lar.
But, then these little things should he
overlooked. and generally are, the large
majority OF the visitors to Supt. Hatha-
ways spacious domains being perfectly
able 10 take care OF themselvys.
But, while the skating season is at its
height, there is one thing that should
be taken note Of Aud that is
that skating on thin ice, while
contributing materially TO the excite
ment of the location, yet rarely conduces
TO Longevity of life, and while such ponds
as can be found at Roger Williams park
are to be had there is no earthly reason
why the youthful enthusiast should risk
life aud limb on dangerous ponds.
The Thermometer is Despondcnt
How the wind whistled around the cor
ners, toying with the signs, at times
gently and then. rising In its might and
fury, tearing exposed awnings into
shreds aud hurlng great chunks of frozen
snow onto the head OF tue lonesome po-
herman who was attempting vainly TO
get some slight protection from its fero-
cious blasts.
The mercury too, seemed possessed
with an irresistible desire to play tag
ith itself and buried itself in the very
lowest corner of the bulb.
From 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon the
weather grew colder and colder, until at
O'Clock this morning IL registered but n
few points above the zero mark, and
wiseacres shook their heads and broke
the icicles oil Of their noses as they passed
sage remarks about previous winters
At y o'clock the thermometers regis
tered degrees above zero, and the horse
car drivers and conductors stamped about
on the platforms OF the cars in vain
efforts TO keep the blood In circulation.
At semi-occasional intervals some lone
some individual one Of the class who be-
leve In the superiority OF mind over mat
ter, would show his nose out OF the door
apd lauOh nj the buudled nm nass.r