Year: 1871

skirt Became Useful. ttEE


Lake Champlain is one of the most
beautiful sheets of water probably in
America, and Cumberland Bay, near
Plattsburg, where one of the most brill
liant naval engagements of the war Of
1912 was fought and won by Commo-
dore McDonough, of the American feet,
against the British, under Commodore
Downie, furnishes one of the grandest
skating parks or ponds one could wish
to see. 1t is the favorite resort of the
young ladies and gentlemen Of that
vicinity on moonlight evenings. One
evening short time since young
lady and gentleman who had frequently
been skating there before went out
upon the bay, but believing in the old
axiom that two is company" went to
an unfrequented part, where they could
enjoy the skating in each others society
unmolested.


After skating for some little time near
the shore, the gentleman proposed that
they should go further out, where the ice
was smooth, TO which she consented,
and they accordingly ventured out about
two miles. Here they found the ice in
beautiful condition, and the gentleman
was proceeding to do the grapevine, for
ward and backward roll, together with
many other fancy figures only known to
accomplished skaters, when suddenly the
ice gave way beneath him, and in mo-
ment he found himself struggling in the
water and unable to extricate himself,
the ice breaking as fast as he attempted
to raise himself on its edge. The young
lady, true to her womanlyinstincts, be-
gan to scream at the top of her voice,
but the privacy they had sought had
taken them beyond the hearing of all
who could have been of service to them.
He besought her to go to the shore and
endeavor to procure assistance; but she
well knew he must perish before she
could get back, even if she found no diff
Guilty in procuring assistance. Then an
idea came into her head, and she imme-
diately put it into execution.


She first took off her jacket and Dress
and tying them together undertook to
reach him with one end; but it was too
short, as the yielding ice warned her
when she moved toward him and en-
deavored to throw him one end. What
more could she do? She hesitated a
moment; then slipping off her CATERS
both stockings were soon tied to the end
of the dress and jacket and yet it was
too short. Meantime the young man was
rapidly becoming exhausted and if she
was to save him no time was to be lost
For q moment her hands disappeared in
the drapery about her waist, and then
something fell on the ice about her feet
it was her hoop-skirt. This was quickly
severed into half a dozen pieces, and
added to the jacket, dress and stockings,
and, to her great delight, this made
the line long enough to reach him.


Bravely she tugged at one end of it,
while he clutched the other end with
the grip of man who knew that that
was all which stood between him and
eternity. In a few minutes she landed
him safely on the solid ice, and then the
red jacket and dress were wrapped
about her as best they could be, and the
two started for home, where they arrived
without being noticed by any one. Few
were the words spoken on the journey
home, but they must have been to the
purpose, as the wedding suits are or
dered, and before the ice shall disappear
from our beautiful lake this spring, they
will be married a.