davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-02-17


which the village was built film of
thick black ice, which for perfect smooth
ness far surpassed anything that had
ever been seen there before. And as the
old heads of the village prophesied that
the cold snap was likely to be long one,
there was a general sharpening up of
skates forthwith?
The skaters of today would be vastly
amused by the queer skates that were In
the possession of the boys of The Hook
81 years ago. There were no club skates
there Most of the boys had crease bot
toms with heel calks-''corks," they call
ed them-and every one fastened his
skates ON with straps. There were few
fat bottomed skates, and most of them
were fitted with screws in the heels.
These were considered by their owners to
be far superior to those of older style, es-
pecially as the screw in the heel render
ed toe straps unnecessary, but in this
opinion the owners of the creasers did
not coincide. They held that the crease
was great aid to rapid skating, that it
prevented Slowing around" and that
those who had the fat skates were of
fensively devoted to new tangled no
tions.
When after repeated tests by the eager
boys and some of the younger fathers
1t was found that a uniform thickness of
two or three inches had formed, and the
80 or 60 boys of the village and neighbor-
hood were let loose to enjoy the glairy
delights of the ice. the contention waned,
for it was soon discovered that the su-
periority rested in the skater and not in
the skates. Besides every one was too
busy skating to quarrel.
There is no doubt that the weeks be-
tween Thanksgiving and Christmas
were among the most enjoyable ever
vouchsafed to the youngsters of The
Hook. Nor were the boys and young
men the only ones who partook of the
frigid pleasure of the time. AS the
days passed and the temperature re-
manned steadily below the freezing
point, almost without wind and with
no fall of snow, and the ice got thicker
and soldier the middle aged men got out
their skates or took them away from
their sons and exploited themselves Oh
the ice. By the time fortnight had
rolled around the old men took hand,
or rather foot, in the sport, and there
were as many graybeards as rosy
checked boys daily Swimming over the
ponds frozen surface.
Great fires were built along the edge
OF the pond, where the skaters warmed
themselves and from which they got
light to enable them to skate by night,
and finally the women and girls turned
out every afternoon to view the fun vi
cariously and sometimes actually-that
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-02-17

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The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-02-17


sistant, Miss Luella. were greatly to blame
that they did not find means to compel
their pupils to stick closer to their books.
The wiseacres predicted that more than
one evil would result from the prevalent
craze. The joints would be strained un-
duly, they said, especially the knee joints,
and the result would be case after case
of s'water on the knee" and they painted
narrowing word pictures of how some of
the most active skaters of the village
would have to go through the rest of their
lives crippled and dependent on clutches.
There was also the danger that the ice
would break. 1t was indeed thick, but
the great weight it was daily called upon
to bear in the shape of a hundred skaters
might at any time prove too much for
it, land" said retired Sailor Tom Da-
vies, ''then therell be SIGH eatyclism as
you won't never fergit-I say you won't
never fergit." Just what he meant by
''catyclism" no one knows.
Fortunately no one was drowned,
though two boys did come near to it by
skating into square of water whence the
tavern keeper had removed the ice for
his icehouse. These youngsters went
plumb to the bottom to oncst," they
said, and proved it, too, by the blue clay
they brought up on their skate irons.
They were rescued without much diff
Guilty and hustled away to big fire at
the head of the pond, and their clothes
dried on their bodies instead of being
sent home to worry their mothers, who
CHANGED to be among those most opposed
to the sport. The prediction as to strains
and bruises came nearer verifcation, but
though the doctor did have pretty good
run of "millpond practice" as he phrased
it, that winter, no one suffered lasting
injury.
Two days before Christmas a heavy
snowstorm began and lasted for "a hours,
and there was no skating after that un-
I'll paths up and down the ice had been
shoveled clear. That was accomplished
by noon of Christmas, however, and the
holiday was enjoyed on the ice by all
who could turn out. There was no
more snow for a fortnight longer. and
every day the paths were extended lit
tie further, till there were, all told, sew
eral miles of them.
On the 18th of the month, however, a
storm began that lasted almost week,
and when the clouds cleared away there
was quite four feet of snow on the level,
and the weight that rested on the ice
caused it to sink, become flooded and
spoiled. A certain old diary filled with
grabbed, boyish handwriting contains
this entry for Jan. 81, 1867:
mo more skating this winter. Think
shall now study some mites and cetch
up with my clas."
Traditions of the skating season of
1867 are still current at The Hook and
its vicinity. I. D. MARSHALL.
a ngnG supper, a gooo nights sIeep
and fine morning have often made a
hero of the same man who by indiees-
ton, restless night and rainy morn
ing would have proved coward.-Ches-
terfeld
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-02-17
SIX WEEKS SKATING.
1.-THE HOOKS" UNPARALLELED LONG
COLD SNAP WITHOUT SNOW.

mThose Days the Grease Skate With Straps
and Heel CaIks Was Monarch of the Ice.
BroiIed Fish, Roasted Potatoes and Cof-
fee Served Al Fresco-
The boys who lived in the village
called by its inhabitants The Hook con-
sidered themselves especially favored in
the matter of weather during the early
part of the winter of 1867. Three or
four days before Thanksgiving Jack
Frost swooped down from the north by
night and locked the smaller streams and
spread over the big millpond around
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-02-17

neT speech 5s..-s0eeC: ne nearer5,- IUr p1r,
had intended to try to learn to skate
herself before the glorious opportunity
should pass away. If she hadn't been q
school mistress whose income was de
pendent ON the pleasure of the villagers
| there is no doubt she would have brayed
public opinion, no matter how strong,
| but as it was she didn't, to her lifelong
regret, and the good people of The Hook
| saw no 'lady skaters" that winter.
| AS time passed and the ice retained its
strength and gloss the skill of the skat-
srs increased, and feats Heretofore unat-
| tempted became common. The playing
of ''shinney" and ''fox and geese" came
TO be regarded as calling into play no
special ability, and the skater who could
do nothing more difficult than the
Dutch rolf and skating backward was
but an ordinary performer. The stars
Of the pond learned to write their names
on the ice, TO skate long way OF one
foot and to perform what would now be
called the outside edge" besides divers
other seeming impossibilities before not
even heard of.
A few days before Christmas it was
proposed to do some fishing through the
ice, and all hands joined in the sport,
and all said that it was strange no one
had thought of it before. The result
was gratifying. The pond was full of
pickerel, and they bit greedily. So
abundant was the take that when some
one proposed that some of the fish be
broiled at the log fires by the side of the
pond and eaten by the skaters it was
agreed to. The feminine contingent
hailed this proposition with joy, for it
gave them something to do. The second
day of the fish broiling one of the women
suggested that it would be good idea
to add coffee to the fish, and then some
one proposed to bake potatoes in the
ashes. and little by little the meals upon
the ice grew in variety until quite a
menu was served every day.
This plan was not altogether liked by
the mothers of boys, who until then had
been certain of seeing their sons at least
once or twice day when the youngsters
got hungry, but it was found to be inn
possible to break up the practice, and
finally everybody joined in the general
mania excepting few who couldn't
find it in their hearts to indorse so long
a period of devotion to pure pleasure.
These persons said that the craze for the
skating pond was running the winter
term of school. The boys and even some
of the girls, they pointed out, were prone
to "play hooky" and make for the pond
upon the slightest opportunity, and, they
continued, Principal Jones and his as
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-02-17

is, they ''slid" and were pulled on sleds
by the men and boys and stood about
the fires and watched their sliding broth
ers and sons and sweethearts and fathers
and husbands anu grandfathers, and
wished that women, too, might skate.
For, singularly enough, the girls and
women did not skate. Such a thing was
unheard Of at The Hook. 1t was under
stood by some or the inhabitants of the
village that In some places WOMEN did
skate. Miss Lucia Morse, the school
mistress, said that in Holland women
We're quite as expert in their use of the
cleaning steel as the men, and for her
part she couldn't see why they shouldn't
De- This was very bold idea for any
female OF The Hook to PROFOUND, and
the ladies who heard Miss Luella declare
her belief in the skating rights and abil-
tiles of herself and her sisters held ND
their hands in holy horror.
Miss Luslla paled when she saw how
The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-08-01
MICHIGAN REPUBLICANS.
Governor Rich Was Renominated at tn
 State Convention Yesterday.

Governor Rich Was Renominated at the
 State Convention Yesterday.
 Grand Rapids, Mich.. July S1.-The republican state convection was called to order at Il o'clock this morning by Secretary W. R. Bates of the state central committee.
 A telegram was received from Sena- tor McMillan expressing confidence in the election.
 Temporary Chairman Philip J. Col grove of Barry county predicted a ma jority of 50,0oO for the ticket.
 The temporary officers were made per manent John T. Rich was renominat- ed for governor. Alfred Milner was nominated for lieutenat governor, Rev. Washington Gardner for secretary of state, James M. Wilkinson for state treasurer, Stanley W. Turner for audi tor general, William A. French for at- torney general, H. R. Pettingil for su- perintendent of public construction.
 A platform was adopted which re- afIirms devotion to protection; express es the belief that the present unhappy industrial condition of our country is in great part due to the threat and pur- pose of the democratic party to destroy the American system of protection; favors reciprocity as advocated by MT. Blaine: recommends the enactment of such laws as will properly and wisely avoid and settle labor difficulties; ap- proves of arbitration as one of the means to solve labor disputes: advo- cates wise laws that shall properly re- strict and regulate immigration laws; nounces the action of the democratic party in repeating the election laws; favors the use of gold and silver as money metals to be maintained in circulation on a perfect equality and misunderstanding. and pledges and republican party of Michigan to use every effort in its power to restore sil- yer to it's historic position in the United States as money metal.
The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-08-01
BUSBY,S OCEAN VOYAGE.
He Went to See Friend On and Was Car
 rfed Away.


 ried Away.
 Timothy Bushby, a blacksmith living In the annex. disappeared from his place of business about three weeks ago, and & search was begun by his friends in this city for him. They searched in all his old haunts, but in vain. When the police had vainly en- deavored to trace his whereabouts Busby's friends gave up all hopes of ever seeing him alive again. It was supposed that he was drowned or met with foul play. The excitement which followed the disappearance of Busby all died away, and his friends had talk en steps to arrange his affairs when a letter was received Monday from the missing blacksmith in which it was stated that he was in Queentown.
 Busby in his letter relates his experi- ence. He says that he went to New York and boarded one of the big liners. He was down in the cabin when the ships bell rang for every one to go ashore, but he was unconscious of the warning and continued in his conversa- tion with his friend in the cabin. The steamer was we'll under way before Busby discovered that he was being carried away from home, built was then too late for him to do anything but to continue, and he arrived at Queenstown few days ago. He writes that he will stay in his native land for a few weeks before returning. The friends of Busby in this city are greatly amused over the experience of the blacksmith, and they promise to give him royal reception upon his arrival home.
The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-08-01
WOMAN'fURNS INCENDIARY.
DAMAGING EVIDENCE .SCSINss'
 Mp@ "' ts., 70 FOUND.

She snturr.ed Her Household Articles
 With O.. and Then Lsft the Houso-Be-
 ueyed to be e N Msmber of Gang to De-
 fraud Insurance Companies.
 Needham. Mass. July 3.-Walpole Is in a state of great excitement over an alleged incendiary fire. which occurred at midnight and which eliminated early this morning In the arrest Of Mrs, Susan J. Tyler and Mrs. Emma L. Eos ter. The Are was in a small combina- ton residence and store on South street, was used as a millinery store by Mrs. Tyler. and Mrs. Foster used the floors above for sleeping apartments. The interior of the building was entirely burned out. and while In some rooms the woodwork was but slightly dam aged, the furniture was totally de- stroyed. This aroused suspicion. as 1t was learned that the furniture was in- sured for 5000. Mrs. Tyler and Mrs. Foster said that friend had been stopping with them all night and that a fire had been kindled in the kitchen stove to heat the baby's gruel. They ciaimed that the fire must have started from a defective fiue. The house has been through a like experience before. having been burned some time ago, while occupied by the sister of one of the women under arrest The two stoutly maintained their innocence.
 The arrest of Mrs. Tyler is said to be but the inauguration of a series of the most sensational exposures of an alleged conspiracy to defraud insur- ance companies ever revealed in the state of Massachusetts. It Is charged that seven persons are in the alleged conspiracy. More arrests will shortly be made. No less than fifteen to twenty fires of alleged incendiary nature will be charged. These fires have occurred in various towns. Mrs. Foster, though under arrest, is not believed to be in- volved to any great extent in the con- spiracy, so called.
 Mrs. Tyler was arraigned before Trial Justice Grover at Needham this afternoon and pleaded not guilty to the complaint, charging her with attempt ing to burn dwelling at Walpole. Both prisoners were without counsel.
 The principal evidence against Mrs. Tyler was given by District Omcer Pratt and Frank Lamb, his assistant. Early this morning Mrs. Tyler took her bicycle and started for the depot to go to Boston. The officers met her and took her back to the house. where they found the window draperies all puffed up and papers pinned to them. the lounge saturated with oil. the table covered with oil and lamp overturned upon ft They deemed the circum- stances sufficient to justify her ar rest,
 Mrs. Tyler. who was very cool. also testified, claiming that nothing she had done was with criminal intent. It seems that Mrs. Foster, who was taken into custody with Mrs. Tyler, is fe- male detective in the service of Officer Pratt and had been living with Mrs. Tyler for some weeks and 1t Is alleged Mrs. Tyler's plan was to leave the house herself after fixing things all right
 Mrs. Tyler was held in $1,O00 bonds for trial in September and was taken to Dedham jail.
The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-08-01
MUST STAND BY THE BILL.
Governor Matthews Urges Congress to Pass
 the Measure.

Governor Matthews Urges Congress to Pass
 the Measure.
 Washington, July Ex-Governor Mat thews of Indiana, who is spending a few days at Old Point Comfort. was asked by reporter this morning what were the sentiments of the democrats of Indiana as to the tariff situation. The governor, after some deliberation authorized the following statement:
 "The situation in Indiana can be briefly expressed. The democrats there, with remarkable unanfmity, en- dorse President Clevelands letter to Congressman Wilson, and ask that con- gress shall stand by the Wilson bill. We would prefer to go before the peo- pie, making the fight for principles in- volved in true tariff reform, in short. fighting over again the battle Of 1892. than to enter the campaign as apol- ogists for the failure to faithfully re- deem pledges made as the people be- lieve with sincerity and honesty.
 I've can make a winning fight only on principle, and not for a difference in the percents of protection. We can not, we feel. explain the inconsistency to a farming people of free wool and protection to other raw materials. such as, for instance, iron and coal. I be- lieve we might justify or explain a de cent solution of the sugar problem If some indulgence in it's treatment seemed to be necessary, but not as relates to the others.
 "We earnestly hope the house may faithfully redeemed as individual the senate is unfair and unjust to the people. Party promises should be the senate Is unfair and unjust to the pledges or obligations. To fall in an earnest honest effort to keep faith may be forgiven, but the people will not for give if they believe they have been deceived. The American people, and es- pecially the democratic party. is just. In short, the Indiana democracy is with President Cleveland and the house."
The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-08-01
Tried to Kill His Sweetheart.

London, July 31.-A man who is de scribed as Sidney Bennett, an American lawyer, to-day attempted to murder Miss Edith Andrew, young lady of whom he was deeply enamored, by shooting her with a revolver. The mans aim, however, was faulty, and his bullet failed to injure Miss An drews, who fled from the presence of her would-be murderer. Bennett then turned his weapon upon himself and inflicted wounds of a dangerous char acter. The shooting occurred in a house in Kensington. a suburb of this city.
The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-08-01
THE SARATOGA EXCURSION,

Party of Forty -five From This City
 Some of Those Who Went.
 The excursion of the Hygeia Recre- ation Tourist company to Saratoga on Monday. conducted by Peck & Bishop, was the largest of the season. A party of forty-five went up from this city, and at State Line they were joined by a con- tingent from Springfield under the di- rection of T. E. Peck, the manager The New Haven party were cared for by E. l.. Norton and A. w. Kennedy ticket agent for Peck & Bishop.
 Among those who went were MT. and Mrs. Moses Thomas, Miss Clara Camp, Miss Carrie Fuller, Stanley Mansfield, John Ready, G. H. Osborn, Thomas and J. F. Preston, J. F. Mclaughlin, s. R. Woodward, MT. and Mrs. Michael Hugh son, Nelson J. Peck, Miss Daisy p. Woodward, Miss Pauline Hughson, E. L. Palmer, R. w. Palmer, Mrs. Houche, J. D. Edwards, James Lyons, M. A. Mo ran and Walter Moran.
The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-08-01
WILL Ex0yERAT. CAMDEN
The Committee Satisfied the West Virginia
 Senator Did Not Buy Sugar.


 Washington. July 3l.-The sugar In vestigating committee endeavored to hold meeting this morning, but failed owing to the inability to muster a quo rum.
 Senator Gray. the chairman, said that the case of Broker Seymour, who yester- day refused to answer questions, would be presented to the district attorney for prosecution under the criminal statute relating to recalcitrant witnesses.
 The Investigating committee is pre- pairing a report exonerating Senator Camden from the covert allegation or insinuation that he had bought 800 shares of Sugar stock during the pend- ency of the tariff bill The final testi- mony preliminary to this action by the committee was that of Senator Camden. which was taken this afternoon. What Mir. Camden said was based on the pho tographic copy in the possession of the committee of the order which he is al- legged to have sent to a sugar broker. The so-called order was written across the back of a very much soiled envelope and read in this way:
 Buy 200 sh. Sugar a S3N. Do. 800 do. do. S3h.
 Signed, J. M. Camden"
 Senator Camden said the name signed was his, but he denied ever having writ ten such an order or placing 1t, and said that he knew absolutely nothing about 1t. He made his denial general and said the order was fictitious and fraud ulent. No evidence. it Is said, has been secured by the committee tending to show that the order was ever placed with firm of brokers, whether the stock was ever ordered or bought or sold or arranged for. The alleged order was not dated, and there was nothing whatever about the writing on the en- velope to prove that 1t was genuine. In view of this absence of facts and of the improbability that an order would be sent in such form, and also because of Senator Camden's denial, the committee has agreed to make re- port exonerating him. The photograph ic copy was secured from MT. Levy, the solicitor for MT. Guildeau,, silent part ner of the firm of Seymour Bros. & Young of New York.
 Senator Smith also appeared before the committee and was questioned In reference to the published statement of Battershall. the much-wanted witness, who was last heard of in Toronto, in- timating that Senator Smith had spec ulated in Sugar stock. The report of the committee will 1t is said, exonerate Senator Smith.