Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-05-17

u
from the great metropolis, having
spent it at Fredericton, New Bruins
wick:
He who has been brought up in a
great city, and been accustomed from
childhood to the roar and hustle of a
metropolis cannot fail to be impressed
by the natural beauties of any coun-
try, the more so should the country be
one to aim quite foreign. Denizens
Of a great city venture to say-cau
at all times appreciate the beauties
of the country-if possible, more SO
than those whose life is spent entirely
amongst rural surroundings. 1t seems
that, like most people who are pleased
amidst novel environments, they are
more impressed and notice details
which escape the eye of those who
from constant contact are familiarized
with the beauties of the place. At the
same time, people whose life has been
spent in the country are quick to dis
Germ many things in a city which to
the tOwnsfolk are beneath notice.
The impression in Europe concern
ing winter in Canada is that the heavy
snowfall and excessive cold combine
to make winter-not as is really the
Case-an enjoyable time, but rather a
hardship which is a great drawback
to an otherwise beautiful and pleas
ant country. This being the case-I,
as a stranger to this cOuntry-can
safely say that l was agreeably sur
prised at my first winter here. The
snow loses a great deal Of it's unpleas-
,antness when seen in the country. In
a large town a snowfall is anything
but beautiful. The fair white snow
which in the country beauties every
thing is in a great city trodden into
slush ard mud almost as soon as it
reaches the earth. Small wonder then
that when a small snowfall, such as
we have in London, causes so much
Inconvenience one should get the i'm
preston that a large snowfall must
be attended with a proportiOnate
amount of discomfort.
Winter all over Canada rather seems
to be looked forward to with pleasure
than dread, and l think it would be
harder to find more suitable place
to get good idea of what a Canadian
winter with it's attendant sports is
really like than in the country dis
tricts of New Brunswick.
1t has been my good fortune tC
spend the last winter in the vicinity OF
the st. John river, and I have more
than enjoyed my sojourn among the
'bluenoses." How the people of this
province obtained this classical title
am unable to say, but for the benefit
of those who, like myself, are Ignorant
of its origin, | must say, that the ex-
treme temperature is not responsible
for it. Neither is this term owing tC
any intemperance on the part of the
people, for this province is one of the
sbaunchest advocates of temperance il
the dominion.
The first snow came towards the enc
of NOvember-a heavy fall too; heavy
enough to cause people to hasten t
bring out their sleighs; but, as usual
ly happens, a few showers of rain
soon made short work of the snow anC
it did not really come to stay till after
Christmas.
But if the snow had not yet come
the frost had as we soon knew. Kins
Frost laid his icy hand upon the
river which was quickly covered with
beautifully clear coat of ice. 1t was
1T this period of winter that skating
held full sway-although of course the
Ice was not yet solid enough to enable
one to go on all parts of the river
in safety as | earned to my cost, for
whilst skating alone one night, hap
pened to strike one of the weak spots
and, as a natural result, went through
Luckily | got out all right without as
sistance, and, beyond the duckinE
and the Inconvenience of watkins
home with the thermometer at zero
was none the worse This mishap
however, came as well-timed warn
ing to me. and you may be sure that
needed no second lesson as to the fol
ly of skating over new ice.
But the skating when the rivel
was frozen solid! To be able to &c
for miles over the clear ice-to heal
the musical ring of the skates agains
the CLASSY surface and to feel the
keen air as it whistled past in ones
rapid career! Skating is more than
mere pastime-it is a positive delight
when INDUCED in under such circum
stances; and when at last the snow
did come, although it brought Other
sports in its train, yet everyone fell
tinge of regret that its coming
meant the spelling of the ice anC
therefore cessation of what is one
Of the most eXhilarating sports pos
Sible to indulge in.
But we had plenty of skating before
me snow came. Over three weeks
But in the daytime, and at niglt whef
the glorious moon Lit up the whole
river and made it appear more beauti
tul than ever it did in the daytime
or, when the moon failed us. with
large bontires kept going which Ii
up the river for hundreds of yard:
around, and enabled all to indulge il
the sports they loved so we'll, with
out running the risk Of such mis-
hap as l experienced, how great wa:
the joy. With the coming of the snow
Waeeled vehicles disappeared an(
sleighing became universal. Their,
is charm about a sleighride which
makes a drive in wheeled vehiclt
seem dull and commonplace by com
..parlson. Everybody enjoys sleighins
and everybody INDUCES in it here Il