“A Sleighing Party’s Bad Luck”

Sleighing parties to Cumberland County hotels and private houses were managed by livery stable owners who provided sleighs, horses, drivers, blankets, robes, and foot warmers to keep the sleigh’s occupants warm as the horses carried them along wintry roads.

There had been a good fall of snow, and on Thursday evening, February 7, 1884, a large sleighing party from Carlisle arrived at Mr. John Rhoads’ residence in North Middleton Township in expectation of a lively evening of music, dancing, and games. When dinner was served they sat down to a bountiful table. At the end of the evening, they thanked their hosts and returned to Carlisle laughing and talking about the fun they had. Not so for another group of revelers.

The next day, Carlisle’s Sentinel newspaper published an account of the misadventures of one of the sleighing parties. “A party consisting of twenty-two young ladies and gentlemen from this place took a sleigh ride last night to Mr. Rhoads’ house across the creek. They met with a series of ridiculous accidents. First they got on the wrong road; then they [got] stuck and had to wade a mile through mud and water to the house. Coming home they broke through the ice in the run and were compelled to steal fence rails to pry the sled out; the water rose above the bottom of the sled, making it uncomfortable for the feet. A short distance further on, the harness tore and the rear end of the sled became detached, one part being slung against the fence. They had to stop again and borrow ropes to fix up. They finally reached home at half past one this morning, tired and disgusted. The manager of the party was given plain directions which road to take, but for all he got mixed [up], and he has been roundly rated by the rest for his dumbness.”¹