Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-24

suspense attending the bestowal and open
ing of the mysterious packages containing
the presents. they would have felt more
than rewarded for their kind thoughtful
ness. Lips unused to the task framed
graceful acknowledgements of the kind act.
The interest in our happiness taken by the
wife of the commanding officer was re-
peatedly shown. and when, as we sat down
to our inviting Christmas dinner, con-
tempiated a browning proof of her kind,
good will, reDressed enthusiasm could no
longer be restrained and three rousing
cheers for Mrs. Greedy were given with an
effect which proved beyond cavil the vigor
OF our lungs, and rendered unnecessary the
weekly examination of the doctor.
OF course, the festive season brought
with it regrets that would not be repressed
and longings that could not be satisfied
when professions of absent loved
and severed friends followed the funerals
that would wander over snow and ice and
land and sea to the happy tiresides where
We knew they were gathered"
Bright Paragraphs.
Again Lieut.. Lockwood must have felt
he was becoming too serious, for at this
juncture he Immediately changed the tone
of his writing to say:
But every one looked on the bright side
of the thing and extracted as much comfort
and pleasure possible under the circum
stances. We even knew of one sordd indi
NluCdl VINO congratulated nlmSel1 on the
immunity of his exchequer from the heavy
drafts generally entailed by the purchase
of Christmas presents.
There are many paragraphs of facts in
the Moon which are also unusually in
teresting. They show that the average
temperature at Fort Conger for December,
1881, about 81 degrees below zero. The
lowest reading of the thermometer tuncor-
rected) was 90 degrees below. Moon
beam says:
"Sergeants Brainard and Ralston ascend
ed Mount Campbell on the LIST instant and
again found the temperature I'D there at
an elevation of 1900 feet, warmer than here
at sea level, the thermometer reading & and
p at the two places, respectively. This
offers good grounds for balOonatic argu-
ments.'
Near the close of the winter darkness
The Arctic Moon had made arrangements
to have the sun interviewed upon its re-
turn.
The 14th of December, 1881, Lieut. Kis-
lingbury. 1T is related. was able to see the
time of day. 1t was about noon and he held
his watch a foot more from his face.
Celebrating Thanksgiving.
THE gods were propitious and the day
dawned bright and clear. and altogether
favorable. 1t occurs to us that dwellers in
a summer cline would hardly consider that
day an suspicious one Cf0r outdoor sports)
in which neither SIN nor moon shone and
in which the temperature 80 degrees
below the freezing point. but we still aver
that from our artlc standpoint We had rea-
son to congratulate ourselves on the alb
sence of wind and the presence of clear
starlight.
AT an early hour those who were ex-
pected to engage were busy in perfecting
their arrangements. At different points In
the station little knots of keen sportsmen
could be seen eagerly discussing the merits
of the several competitors and laying the
wagers with which they eagerly backed
their favorites. Before the first race was
called it had become evident that large
amount of Lone Jack Durham and
plug would change hands. Ever and anon
a strained, anxious voice could be heard
shouting: I'll go two plugs to a half that
- and then his tones would be drowned
by the clatter of some careful candidate
who wished to assure himself Of the Sc
curity of his snow-shoe fastenings. By $50
am all bets had been made and pools
closed and promptly at 10 o'clock the judge
called time for the snow-shoe race. Shod
with the cumbrous footgear, the entries de-
, filed over the rough ice to the course fol-
lowed by the interested spectators, lanterns
in hand
THE course was well staked out, but i'm
perfectly lighted by the Pickering candles
| distance, 200 yards and return. When the
| eight contestants silently took their posi-
| tons GREATNESS interest ensued and a
good start being effected the excitement
rose to 10 degrees above zero, which was
J as near fever heat as the weather would
| permit.
! The SnOw-ShOe Race.
| "And now the affair became amusing to
! the bystanders Many of the athletes were
not familiar with the novel footgear, and
| this, added to the difficulty of finding their
| way over the shady path, made their pro-
| gress most uncertain and erratic. No
doubt the Montreal Snow Shoe Club would
| have considered 1t a strange exhibition. A
| trecherous piece Of projecting Ice would
! send some luckless fellow-not to dust-but
| fioundering in the snow. to serve as foot
| ball for his fmpetuous rivals who were fol-
| lowing with more haste than speed. So
| soon as he could recover his two by four
feet he would probably collide with some
| large-footed Mercury who could not dis
| tinguish him from the surrounding snow
| in which he had been wallowing.
ION, on to the turning stake they sped
| and stumbled and limped and crawled
| back on the home stretch they came en-
veloped in a sheet of dense vapor, which
gaspingly escaped at each respiration like
the spasmodic putting Of an estimate