The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-08


the beautiful. swift. gliding motion
svsr the smooth surface of lake sur
rounded by trees covered with snow
and frost. and the keen. cold wind. do
not make up delightful outdoor
amusement? When 10 these delights
81 added a companion with strong
arm and skilhulness. surely there are
few girls who will not give skating the
oalm over all winter sports and many
summer ones as well.
In these days. when there is no
theme of such vital interest TO women
as physical culture in all it's forms
any sport which will give good. health
sul exercise is sure TO have plenty OF
followers. Now. the prettiest and most
graceful exercise in the list, and one
which doesn't involve any sacrihces In
the way of corsets, or heroics. In the
line of heelless boots and blfurcated
garments. health waists. or any or the
other notifications OF the flesh. is
skating. Woman may shine on the ice
IN her usual belongings, provided the
skirt he made convenient length.
She NAV glide in single solitude or en-
fer into dual or triple alliances. All
that il demanded of her is that she be
mt home on her skates and nave
graceful figure Then the eyes OF every
man-aye, and Of every woman-ln
sight will follow her with admiring
and in the latter case often with env-
Gus glances What more rs needed TO
make skating popular?
OR II Mother Nature has been unkind
and denied that lack OF grace of mo-
tion that Is of greater charm even than
fairness of face. the best possible way
in the world 10 acquire 1t is fearless
skating by learning TO balance when
executing daring and Intricate curves
and complicated movements.
The girl who skates knows all about
shis. She found out all about II first by
taking just the opposite course and ox-
ecuting headlong plunges and striking
unexpected and far from graceful at
tltudes on her skates. Thus She learned
he true meaning of the word poise.
The shining steel blades that the man
she likes best--just then--tightens on
her snug little feet suddenly seem in
spired with diabolical purpose directly
she attempts 10 stand on them. She
takes sudden and totally unprepared
for postures. sitting and otherwise. with
the skates waving i'm horribly undig-
nified way in the air in a manner never
advocated by teachers OF Delsarte.
II only she knew whether those skates
were going TO slide backward or for
ward. she would manage better. she
thinks. with despair.
Then that same nice fellow comes up
with curve as graceful as a swallow.
takes both her hands in his and glides
backward as she follows. He talks all
the time to her of something or other.
looks into her eyes. laughs, makes her
blush with compliment on her color
Ing. and all at once, If she be the right
kind OF girl, she is skating and knows
more about poise than all the big waist
ed physical culturists i'm the country.
though she couldn't explain il TO save
her life. And that's another reason why
girls love skating.
The only scientific way To skate is out
of doors on frozen river or lake. with
the dazzling winter sunshine above
your head and just enough of the Gle.
ment of danger to keep some one who
is very solcitous for your safety and
comfort quite near your side. And in
the evening. when the smaller boys
kindle the big bonfires on the shore. and
the little coves and incts where the
Emoothegt ice has been left lie i'm shad-
ows like those OF a painting by some
ole master, what finer place i'm the
world 10 get out OF sight OF hard heart
ed chaperons and give a little pleasure
TO the big fellow who has been helping
you all the afternoon and now guides
you thither with seeming accident. hut
with his heart beating SO you can al
most hear IL? And what better time to
say the things you know he has been
on the point of saying many time.
but could not get up the courage To-
say In conventional drawing room
under the glare OF electric lights?
But perhaps the one thing that will
make skating more popular than 1t
could otherwise ever become rs the
fact that that great and powerful dame.
Society whose magic wand, much as
we may claim 20 ignore Il. rules us all.
has looked on skating with a pleasing
eye and taken IL up. The fashionable
girls in New York and other places. in
stead Of spending all the winter months
I'm the city wishing that Lent were over
nowadays HE themselves 10 country
seats belonging TO their parents. taking
along jolly crowd Of young people OF
both sexes. and skating and toboggan.
Ing and sleighng parties occupy their
time. And az Mrs Society has smiled
on this form Of amusement. why. that
is the most potent reason OF all why
women must skate
Those, however, who do not care 10 20
10 the country for any period of time nr
who cannot afford the luxury OF cour-
try place have solved the problem III
skating I'm the city BY following the lead
OF Paris, which for many years has had
its Palais de Glace.
The Paiais de Glace is simply a cir
Gus where ice replaces the sawdust
floor, and the walls are panelcd with
mirrors and painted with scenes from
the Mcditcrro mean. Electric light psnfs
down from the chandeliers gas lamps
Keep the building at o comfortable ten.
peratnre. ana the chenicsl nplds now.
M fh,ongh lnnumerable nlnea below