The Saint Paul globe., 1896-11-30
IT'S C0M0'S SEASON
THE ICE THERE WAS DOTTED YES
TERDAY WITH MANY MERRY
SKATERS.
COLD KEPT NUMBERS AWAY,
BUT THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF
THE STREET CARS WAS
TAXED.
COLD KEPT NUMBERS AWAY,
WARNING ROOMS TOO SMALL
Even for the Skaters That Were
Present YesterGay-NO Seri-
GUS Accidents.

''How long is yer skates, Jimmy?'
law desc Is me little brudders and
dey is only fourteen inches, but me
own watts busted is got blade on 'em
sev'nteen inches long, an'f had on me
kicks on dis ice der amt guy in de
push wat could stay wild me fur a
mint
The speakers were two specimens of
the genus kid" which, shod in the
lOng-bladed racing skate, delights to
spin over the ice at breack-neck speed,
causing CONSERVATION to seize upon the
more dignified pleaSure-seekers.
They had stopped their headlong ca
reer about the CLASSY surface of Lake
Como for a moment yesterday after
noon to compare notes on the merits
of their respective skates.
The two boys were not the only ones
enjoying the splendid facilities offered
by conditions at Como by nearly 1,000
The young man and his best girl, the
big brother and his little sister, and the
indulgent father, with his young hope
full, whose wee ankles refused to bear
their accustomed weight when attached
to the shining new skates, were all out
in force, and, despite the cold weather,
skimming over the smooth ice with an
enthusiasm which brought health's
ruddy glow into each bright face.
1t was not an ideal day for the sport
considered from the standpoint Of at
mospherical conditions, as the air was
too chilly and long exposure was pro-
ductive of some discomfort, but to most
of the pleasures seekers the fine condi-
inz1 Of
Tor the cold, and the nearby warming
rooms furnished shelter when ting
ling ears and benumbed feet impelled
their possessorS to seek the fire. The
first arrivals at the lake had a decided
advantage, for the surface was then as
smooth as glass, though an occasional
crack appeared where the ice had bulG-
ed up in freezing. The entire lake Is
frozen over and all of it's surface is at
the disposal of the skaters, but few Of
yesterdays crowd ventured very far
from the warming room, though the
''speeders" found idealistic joy in hump
ing themselves into shape Of a half
closed jackknife and swinging from one
end of the lake to the other. Their
course was somewhat circuitous on ac-
count of small drifts of snow which
could not be removed before the freeze
came. but which do not materially in
terfere with the skating on account Of
those frequenting the lake.
The pretty girls, their brothers and
other peoples brothers contented them
selves with circling about an area of
several hundred feet of the best ice In
front of the old boat house, where the
warming room is now located. There
was room for every one, except when
the young emulators of Mercury with
their long blades cut into the family
circle, and even then beyond an occa-
4 14ToVa f1n
there was ample opportunity for each
to execute his own favOrite figures,
skate straight ahead, as many abreast
as was desired, or glide silently alone in
pairs, mutually confident in the warm
hand-clasp which was supposed to be
necessary to preserving an upright po-
sitiOn. The fallacy of the supposition
was frequently displayed, however,
when an unsuspecting couple, too in
tent upon each other, came into violent
contact with some Of the numerous
small boys, darting hither and thither,
like animated Brownies, IN their games
of tag" pull and the like.
The result however was nothing more
serious than suppressed shrieks and
frantic grabs at flying skirts on the
part of the maidsyn, anathemas from
the young man and a derisive laugh
from the cause, of the spill" as he
darted away to join his companions.
Off at one end Of the lake a number
of polo players were engaged in their
first games of the season. 1mprovised
goals had been erected and the active
Young men with the crooked sticks at
tracted quite an audience during the
afternoon. The teams were merely
chosen for the occasion, but some of
the games We're close and interesting,
forming a pleasant diversion for those
who lacked the temerity to don the
steel blades. Had the weather been
warmer the crowd at the lake would
undoubtedly have been much larger,
though accommodation would have
been ample for all except, perhaps, in
the warming rooms, which are far too
small and comfortless. The rooms
were constantly jammed yesterday, and
the meagerness of their size, with only
the heat of a 1.-TWO by four" stove
which it was impossible to get near,
made standing in the cold almost pref
erable to the seeming improvised shell
ter Anticipating the exodus to the
lake the city railway company fur
nished a fifteen-minute car service,
which, though overtaxed on the return
trip, was, on the whole, adequate and
as comfortable as riding in street car
on a cold day could be.