- "Dashing through the snow" ~
- Some days the sun danced merrily on the packed, well-tracked roadway, at other times chill winds whipped a whirling, blinding blizzard across the fields and down the lane --
- “ln a one-horse open sleigh” ~
- There were many types: the colonial, the cradle, the cutter, the flyer --
- "O'er the fields we go" ~
- When roads were drifted, travelers did "cut" around snow banks and through fields --
- "Laughing all the way" ~
- That depended upon many things, the distance, the weather, the errand, the passengers (if any), the general circumstances...
- "Bells on bob-tail ring" ~
- According to law, both horse and sleigh had to be equipped with bells as a warning to others that a fast moving, rather quiet vehicle was approaching. Sleigh bells were made by the barrel and sold by the pound. There were shaft bells, harness bells, body-strap bells and bells for the sleigh, for merriment, but first of all, for safety.
- " Jingle bells! Jingle bells!" ~
- turned winter into a season of bells as well as a season for traveling. December 1 st was then referred to as "sled day", when sleigh bells were polished and sleds of all sorts were put in readiness.
Travel along the pike was by stage-sleds afforded passengers the most comfortable ride of the year. (Wheels were removed and runners interchanged or slip-shoes or iron ruggles were fixed to the chain-Iocked wheels. Some stages carried axle sleds which replaced wheels for snowy or icy stretches.)
Farmers saved heavy hauling for the
sled season. Such sleds or skids were
made of hickory or oak and were fitted
with with heavy wide runners and were
sometimes called "stone boats", as on
this low, sturdy piece of equipment,
heavy stones as well as timbers were
moved over the snow and frozen
ground.
A bob-sled had two sets of runners -the lead bob and the tail bob. A wagon box on the bobs made a bob sled; side rails or boards set on top of the wagon box made a windbreak for those sitting on straw, wrapped in quilts and warmed by heated flat-irons or soap-stones, and of course warm woolen clothing. There were gusts of winds and snow that forced us all to tuck our noses into the quilts or the fur muffs we were so fortunate to have.
Best of all those winter blessings was winning the daily game against the frost, snow and cold and coming in after chores to the fire-Iit hearth, the heart of the home, or supper and warmth by the big kitchen stove where "three-year" wood was used for quick heat and long burning greener wood sizzled and sang as it burned to bake the loaves of bread or boil the potatoes or keep the big kettle of vegetable soup bubbling gently on the back lids.
Little wonder that folks went dashing through the snow when they knew there would be a light in the window, a warm fire in the wood burner or a crackling back-log in the big fireplace.
Text from Joannie Appleseed's Quill Penn, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
- Some days the sun danced merrily on the packed, well-tracked roadway, at other times chill winds whipped a whirling, blinding blizzard across the fields and down the lane --
