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Show HER COASTING STORY. 105 fashion of those days; all were muffled to our ears in furs and warm wraps of various kinds. Taking the usual position, the lady in front, and the gentleman back, our sled was the first to pull out. Down the hill we flew. " This thoroughfare, scarcely wide enough for two teams to pass each other, and which, during the day, presented a busy scene by the unending procession of quartz wagons laden with auriferous ores to the mills, and toiling up and back to the mines for fresh cords of the precious rock, were now deserted. But the sidewalks were thronged with people who had congregated to witness the great coasting event of the season, and as we rushed by a long shout went up in which we joinell. The first half mile was comparatively light grade. The sleigh sped along at a splendid rate and we were joyous at the prospect of a successful run. But as the grade increased the sled, under rapidly increasing momentum, soon was sweeping along at a most terrific rate, which fairly took away our breath. My escort, recently arrived from Chicago, whose experience was limited to pictorial illustrations of coasting, was badly frightened. "By frequent loud warnings we avoided collision with belated mining teams. But, on the way down, there was a deep gulch spanned by a rustic bridge, and reached by a curve in the road. This curve was generally made by putting out a foot and throwing the sled around, but it had gathered such velocity that the effort was of little avail. It seemed as if the sled had no sooner appeared upon the scene than it shot out of sight-one sudden plunge and then we found ourselves fifteen feet below- hurled headlong to the bottom of the gulch. I escaped |