The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-12-29
SKATERS AT LAKE WHITNEY.


A Large Crowd Enjoyed the Sport Yes
terday Afternoon-Many Funny Incl
dents-A Picturesque Scene Pre-
scented.
1t was q merry scene that greeted the
eye of tie beholder at Lake Whitney
yesterday afternoon with the hundreds,
perhaps thousands, of skaters, all
young and full of the eXuberance of
youth, making the hills re-echo their
jolly laughter and happy shouts. One
could almost imagine it a Canadian
scene but for one fact-Canadian skat-
ers and coasters wear special costumes
for those sports, and very picturesque
costumes, too, but the skaters at Lake
Whitney are not so fastidious. Scarce
ly a skating cap and not a single skat-
ing costume was noticed on the lake
yesterday, street costumes being the
rule.
But la Canadienne or not, the girls
were not lacking in interest and helped
to make the scene one of Undesirable
picturesqueness
FROM me udln To the lower DIluSe
there was continually moving throng,
but despite the fact that the crowd
was so large there was plenty Of room
for all, and no Inconvenience was eX-
perienced owing to the wide extent of
the Smooth eXpanse." There were
fair skaters, fairly good skaters and
skaters who thought they were good on
the lake yesterday, but of all these
there were very few who showed the
graceful movement and we'll trimmed,
sweeping stroke of the adept in the art.
That the greater part of the crowd con-
sisted of amateurs at the sport was at
tested by the frequent dull and mar
oW-freezing thuds which announced
the descent from their lofty soaring of
those whose skates would go too fast
for them to keep up.
The scene was not without many
amusing incidents, and one especially
attracted the writer's attention. A tall
young man, who evidently considered
that what he did not know about skat-
ing could not be learned, was airing his
graces and skill for the benefit of
party of young ladies skating near by
and casting frequent admiring glances
in his direction, when suddenly one of
his feet shot out in a peculiar manner
and Immediately the adept young man
began a series of gyratons and contor-
tons which would make his fortune
could he do them at will But alas!
These movements only lasted for a few
seconds and it all ended in the perform
er-we will not say biting the ice, as
his head did not strike-coming down
with a bang which would have done
credit to a trip hammer. For a min
I ute he sat, then rising, he made a pain
full progress to the boat house and there
took off his skates, evidently thinking
that he had shown enough of his dex-
terity.
This was only one of the numerous
amusing incidents of the afternoon, not
all of which were so painful to the par
Elephants. There were no serious acct
dents, the lower part of the lake being
so solid!y frozen over as to preclude the
possibility of any one falling through
the ice.
A force of men was kept at work all
the afternoon sweeping the ice. The
cars on all of the various trolley lines
in the city bore yesterday signs an
nouncing the skating at Lake Whit
ney. and all the cars Of the Whitney
avenue line were crowded with skat-
ers going out Another large crowd is
expected to-day.