The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-01-21
ZELDA BEDELL STERLING

l where automobiles now adorn its | grass, fountains and flower beds. MT.
 Hopkins ripper ,a was oa6 bully 1d on the he 1 named it ''Stovepipe Flue."
 The Holland Heights slide became more or less dangerous because of a
 long hill, so soon other spots were
 sought. One was up at North
 Bridgeport. on a hill running from
 the, old reservoir down alongs1de
 pair of his fathers greys. drew two rippers with their loads up there sev-
 eral times for an evenings sport. 1 Next, Hospital hill was adopted, which afforded a splendid coast down | the hill and across the ice on Penn | broke lake.
 | A slide that was as elegant and arc tic as anything in Iceland was en- | joyed many a night on Pequonnock hill This went westward from St. Augustine's church down and up again almost to the old quarries on North avenue. Then the rippers could be back toward the church.
 One night Tom DeForest, Frank Hastings, Syd Lockwood, Fred Halli- gan, and a few more of Bridgeports young blades, full of fun, borrowed ''Pegasus'' and went to the top of Pequonnock hill for slide. There was always a crowd of young people gathered there to see the sport, and this particular night was no eXcep- ton. In order to load up the long ripper, young Tom shouted to the a seat!'' There were girls a-p1enty:- Katies, Maggies, and Marys-Who jumped at the invitation. On they rushed, and the acrobatics and gym to straddle the big sled made more than one petticoat conspicuous to the eyes of all beholders, not to mention young Tom. He has never 1uily I,71 1E covered it is believed, for he is still a bachelor.
 Not an insignificant feature of these coasting parties were the entertain ments given evenings. around m1o-
 One especially memorable affair was given by MT. and Mrs. Thomas Crittenden Their home is s.lli ford avenue. overlooking Yellow Mil! pond. and is now the residence of Charles Hough. At the time of the coasting epidemic this estate was e one MT. and Mrs. Crittenden were laVlsh entertainers On the night in ques- ton many of the city's "t.our Hun Sterling and his two daughters. the Misses Dunham. MT. and Mrs. Henry Mrs. John Haw1ey, Dr. ana Mrs Mrs. Zalmon Goodsen, MT. and Mrs. | Henry Lyon, MT. and Mrs. Theodore W. Downs, Charles Thorp, Frank Lyon, Charles A Doten, na Edwap1 map1 Meeker, Frank Waison anu '
 General and Mrs. T. L. Watson were also splendid hosts for coast ing party one evening at their nome on Washinston avenue, facing Cole man street. .po,ra sus" was taken under the guidance ol DeVer H. Warner; lie ob G,oIu horses n before the big sled from his home at Park place, picking up a. loa1 as he advanced towards Hospital hlll. 1n the party. besides Mrs Warner, Wefe Mrs sherman Hubbard. Miss Minnie [ lockwood. Miss Florence Jones ana Inc Misses Durham. Sufnce IL u say that "A good time was nao oS all" ,+ the beginning of this plain. un- vanished tale" it is but fair to state hat after many vlclssatuegs d The for the crime was this: 9ouns men. generally strangers: would cal md ask to borrow the ripper TOT 1n 3romising to return it in good order: .ns+ead of doing so the big sled was eft here and there. in vacant Iots, or n inc streets. Poor Pegasus, un- ike the winged steed of myth olosy or which it was named, could not ,,+ hack home itself. and had to pc hunted up ana prousn ui5n sone. This practice became so tlre oroa +o its owner that he became .onVinced that the kindest thing to ,o would be to s1ay the slelsh
 This dark deed was committed ons night by the light of the moon an be aid of a trusty axe, after Whlci be Tamnants were crenated. An urn containing it's ashes is now chasteiy cherished in the owners home III vest Haven. And that's ehat'