Passaic City record., 1893-01-21
Jingling Sleigh Bells.

JingIing Sleigh Bells.
Within the last few days almost
every smooth country road in the
neighborhood of Passaic has
heard the sharp tinkle of sleigh
bells as the slippery runers glided
almost noiselessly along over the
well trodden snow. The air has
had nipping twang that calls tor
furs or woollen, but gives an added
sharpness to the sound that pours
necessarily from the metal tongues
of the round, brass bells that adorn
the harness of the horses. Unoer
the glare of the afternoons sun or
the rolling flames of the 1ambent
aurora the tinkle and jingle of the
sleigh bells has rung out merrily,
necessarily, laughingly, warningly,
jovially, keeping time to the patter
of the horses hoofs upon the long
white stretch of snowy roadway.
Every sleigh that has not been
too decrepit to bear further llse
has been brought out to take part
in the great procession. Wheels
have been a rarity. The butcher,
the baker, and the grocer sweep
along to the same music. There
are yellow sleighs, green sleighs,
red sleighs and black sleighs, and
uncouth s1eds, innocent of paint,
but one and all glide crisply along,
if only to the Wagnerian motif Of
a mellow and rusty cow-bell.
Sleighs there are, with every ap-
pearance of sudden and incomplete
evolution from a discarded dry
goods box, and drawn by horses
who exhibit evident senility. but
they thread their way in the throng
boldly, in front of highly lac
quered equipage adorned with
costly furs and particolored plumes,
or block the way of a prancing
trotter, whose value is measured
by hundreds of dollars; for the
road is no respecter of persons and
the rich or poor have there an
equal right.
AS there is wide diversity in
the sleighs and horses on a well
packed highway, so there is as
great difference between the oc-
cupants. The cold winds which
whistles down from the gnarled,
weighted limbs of the road
side trees, nips the ears of the
sleepy teamster who sits upon the
load of shining coal; but it also
tweaks the nose of the impassive
coachman who shivers under his
cap of Russian bearskin. The
crrant boy perched on the tailboard
of some accommodating box sleigh
stares unabashed into the eyes of
the celebrated fnancier who whirls
along behind a well matched pair
of bays. The horsey driver, the
father of family with his "hos-
tages" behind, the fashionable
young lady who drove her own
horses, the schoolgirl out on a hol-
iday, the hurried doctor, the infat-
mated clerk who has cheerfully
given half a weeks salary for the
hire of his "team, " the busy lawyer,
the timid man who.detests driving;
all these and many more whirl
along. jostling and occasionally
racing. The long excursion sleighs,
with their load of children pass on
to the music of footing horns. AS
the sun goes down and the moon
climbs high among the flashing
stars, the tinkle of the bells IS
sometimes drowned in song.
To the older of us it sometimes
seems that the music of sleigh
bells is heard less often nowadays
than in the past; but they have
rung merrily and loudly in the past
few days, and many hundreds
have found pleasure and happiness
while listening to their music.
Under their spell all cares and
worry have gone for while, and
the blood has tingled healthily
through the hearers veins. For
this reason, if for no other, one
can wish success to the iingling
bells, and be glad that January
has given them to be heard.