New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-08-12
THE PASSING THRONG.

Ellsworth Hague. OF Montreal speaking at
the Hotel Imperial yesterday % winter sports IN
Canada. You have little idea
WINTER here In Nsw-T0rk" said llr.
SPORTS IN Hague, "of what winter really
CANADA msans-shat is. the sporty side
Of IT, II would take a terrific and
constant fall % snew 70 give You seighing FOR
length OF time IN Nsw-York. for so great Is your
traffc that it quickly either it up turns IL
MO mud AS FOR skating you have few small
ponds upon which one full grown skater might pos
sioly evolve figure 5. but because OF the crowds
that rush 20 them az the first sign OF a freeze an
skaters have 70 go in The direction the same
as cancers DO IN a European ballroom You never
know here what love % vrtIe lie II IS that fires
the blood in your veins and spurs you on % in
creased EFFORT when you feel the smooth ice under
the sharp blade o. your skate and know
that that ice stretches away Tor miles and niles
A straightavay skate ike that kills rink o.
pond skatins for you WITH the wind IA
your tacs or al your back a. the
81 I all e5iVs you On and on and you fssi 40
long stretch 70 get at tie true irrarrsss 81
the sport OF snowshoeing, tobosgaRing ard
70 paa s the blood leap and 70 eagss ore % ery
toboggaaing has been carried 20 IFS ultima thll.s
Nowhere else can slides II sUca perfection be found
FOR ta stanaF s1 H1 s sos e az a
i Is something 70 make the heart stand SIN Our
Jumping or accidentally goiag on ne earsfaIiy
watered centre is a sheet OF glare ice and run
niI1s over ts.s tas sssossans set y speed 5sas
n them, and when the toooggans go OF one OF
these jumps they cover vita their hurHea tFeight
an Incredlole distance before aLghtins- The jump
slides. though. are only for the scourest hearted
One OF the nervisst things ever done in Non
treal," continued the speaker, occurred there n
winter season some fifteen years
AMERICANS aga. II was perpetratsd BY = coun-
EXHIBITION tryma1 % yours ard was the re-
OF NERVE suit Of after dinner wager nads
IN ~ e1rr~ 1r1bu1 T71z. An
laid a heavy amount THAT he would 90 down o1s
OF the straight toboggan slides on skates. II vas
a thing that had never been attempted IN Non
tresl. and one I do not think Is likely % grow
popular. for a fall would result n Almost certain
death in in1ury so frtghtful as 20 make death
seem preferable BY comparison The American
took all bets. and when the time arrived for the
trial he appeared with a pair OF old fashioned
skates generally called rockers You probably
know the kind-whers the steel Is in the form OF
q half moon from toe 20 heel the bLads Is al
circle, and affords no semblance OF a. anglia
70 offer resistance They were a very popular
skate in the sixtiss and seventies one but an
wise choice for skate with a straight runner
ySt-S ~ 1S1sStec o. aIpso az saa-l obstacle
safely over When the appointed hour arrived 'an1
side al PsssaS hd s 5r a. ne head q 5 58s
seem posslp!e that &c could make that fearful de-
looked for him 20 pitch over the low sides and
he started. A. first he seemed 70 move sloV.y ana
then his speed rapidly Increased. Everybody waited
Ior the Tan that did not come. Srf1y erect that
olack figure descended quickly and yet more quick
" EalT way down MS speed was great that IL
seemed to the onlooks-s beyond human eailrancs
.or MIN to retain his balance longer. Yet. hytng
ever faster and ever standing erect he held on.
until he struck the level at the foot. Shooting out
on tnls Ike cannon ball he crossed 70 the soft
snow Like streak % light Then ais speed ma
Ierfaly decreased, and when bis snOw-clogse1
skates finally pitched him headloEg he received
no injury He was - n trice without
assistance, and his drsC words were request
for drink. About twenty were handed him Be-
youd slight pallor. he showed no sign OF the
great strain he mad undergone. and I never heard
that he afterward suffered from it. Without
cepJlon IL was the most wonderful feat OF balance
and simon pure nerve / ever read OF saw.
When the dinner came OF. that was part OF ths
bet II was what = politely termed al event
II began with oysters and ended with the next
mornings breakfast. Anything THAT chap wanted
n Montreal ne had but 20 ask f0-- he could
have lived there ali the rest Of his DAYS free o.
charge But after two weeks of il he packed -
and went away Re 6srH1n2E his reason that.
while IL was pleasant rave freedom OF a
city ana everything supplied 70 you gratis, hs
thought that II he stayed his denise would &C.
cur in about three zncCths- he therefore. preferred
70 60 or somewhere else and BY supporting him
self be able 70 i've 20 a hoary Old age.