The Washington times., 1894-12-24

ALONE AND soMBERLY SEATED QUEEN MARY.
have been so.tened with food of
human affection The arr is 'fuilauf bright
exhiaration. The snow queens levels
sparkle in the moonlight. The whole earth
is luminous. From illuminated .hoBsssviRsDi
the silver streets stream lads and lassies
ciinking their skates, laughing, singing,
shouting. And in such gar5 that they know
not each other. They are on their way to the
carnival. and under the girls warm wraps
are prototypes of other times and places.
Ill-fated Mary is discussing a,niably with
Julius Cesar the respective merits of Acine
and Peerles skaIes. Ophelia is cross because
her flowers are makeshifts real ones ins-'
ing detained for customs duties. Behind her
are walking briskIy a Norwegian~peas girf
and the Charles King, who never did wise
thing or said foolish one. She from Nor
way is as much at home on her skates as the
executed king is not, and is promising him
plausibly considering how she viii probably
back out OF it later that sho will guide him
over the slippery ice. The streets are full OF
representations of times and seasons: Night
moving in dark splendor with radiant morn
ing; spring casting her soft glances at stern,
white winter, who swings her gold plated
skates over his shoulders as he strides along;
moonlight gliding daintily behind them.
"Christmas greeting fills the air,
Kindly wishes everywhere"
Up the long hill wind the merrymakers
On its fiat summit extend waning fields of
ice, besides the great covered rink. Lights
stream down the hillside. showing up a mot
ley crew against the white background. The
long train OF snowshoers have joined the
masqueraders. They form an escort-a
white-blanketed line, following the crack of
their leaders whip.
ssThe snowshoes silent tread
Across the unbroken drift,
The pines sway overhead
Dislcdge their snowy gift
And powder all below"
On and on they wind, in and, out of the
tall frs letting the soft falling fakes sift over
their blankets, up and up over the drifted
fences leaping from banks; now down among
the maskers, hurrying along the road at
irregular. rollicking scampers, now high
over their heads, shaking the fine snow over
the curis of the maidens And still above
them glows with a thousand lights the huge
rink, resplendent with flying flags, glittering
with great electric lights.
Of to the right on the hills crest lies the
clubhouse of the snowshoe club, shining
with cozy little glow of its own. To the
left are the chutes OF the toboggan club. Al
ready toboggans are shooting down the icy
slides. The snowshoers and the skaters hear
the whizz of the slender sleigns and the
shouts of the passing loads. And now the
merry sleigh bells add a silyery note to the
ulRul anu dUONo tuo Ctluh Vi tuc
skates chime after chine peals as the cutters
drive by The hill is alive. There is a sound
of revelrY by night-an expurgated Wal
purgis.
Into the dressing rooms of the rink plunge
the masqueraders And in few minutes the
! grand march begins
The inside OF the rink is crowded with
eager spectators. The galleries. flag g-decked
| and sparkling with lights, show ladies with
! soft furs warmly covering them. bending with
breathless interest over the railing. At one
end the military band in an aleove of ever
greens is playing the opening prelude. Every
one is listening and watching intenty. Sud-
denly with a ''crash of cymbais'' the great
| doors are flung open; the bands play spir-
| tied march and an imposing cavalcade
| begins.
First come the advance guard, the snow
| shoers now on skates with their snoWehoes
slung on their backs. They wear the clut
colors; the pen in white blanket suits with
crimson silk sashes and crimson and white
| striped toques. the badge OF their order in
| pale blue pinned on their coats; the women
also in white, with pale blue sashes, blue and
white toques- and crimson badges flaunting
All carry siiken flags in the three colors, anC
at stated times in the music wave them aloft
Behind them skate in flashing ranks, {
company of strolling players led by Falstaf
and fianked by some military gentlemen who
having strayed from their regiments into th'
| company of civilians. ss..::9saed- their back
and fercely curled their mustaches.. The,
ekated in stiff precision and also in time