The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-03-27
From the Friend Of Youth.
MY LAST SLIDE.
by MARY IRVING

Winter is almost "over and gone," chill
dren trust you have all enjoyed it as much
as the rosy checked boys have watched al
most every day from my window. There is a
pond away below; it has sparkled up to my
eyes every morning Of the season, and almost
every moonlit night has seen the merry skaters
shooting, curying, and careering over its crack
ling surface. Then, too, there is a slope all
the way down TO the shore; gentle, green
slope in summer time-a "royal slide in
winter, as the boys, who very well appreciate
the pleasures of the "big HILL" are often as
suring me. 1t is freshly iced over since the
January thaw," (Which came after January
this year, and never was in better condition.
Off and away the gay sleds dart, like so many
ducks down the rapids of a river Bravo !!
Charlie has gained the goal, and his loud
laugh comes ringing up over the glare ice "
in cheerful triumph! Now, up again all-no
easy matter that, what with slips and tum-
bles-'tlS always an easier passage dozen hill
than up in this world, boys! remember that!
1t does remind me most iorcibly of ma " last
slide )" for loved to slide as well as any of you
once, though IT was on hill far away from
this one. The snow was deeper, and it seemed
to me whittier than on these gentle slopes. 1t
buried up even the fences and it was covered
with crust" firm, hard, and crispy to my
shoes. My mother was not one of those who
cherish their little girls within doors like hot
house buds, while they give the naturally more
hardy boys all the advantage of sun and show
er. So, well earned and equipped" in
blankets and mittens," | used to tug my
light sled TO the hilltop, and hold my breath
in delight as we shot, like the flying horse and
his rider, down the smooth, gittering side.
When was a year old, was sent away
from my home and my tavorite hill, to the
care and teachings OF kind lady, whose low
heart Lizzie Lee, her only daughter. was
two years older than myself; and she became
at once my cassmate, roommate, PLAYMATE
IN short, IN the schoolgirls expressive Ian
guage, my "crony" We Were both without
sisters near our own age-bul sisters certainly
could not have loved and trusted one another
more affectonaely than we did In the short,
happy school hours, we studied from the same
arithmetic or geography and when the lessons
Were all said, and the daily " stint of sewing
done to the very last stitch, we Were as free as
kittens, and as merry, too, in our rompings
down the lane and over the hillocks. cannot
tell you now of our summer ramblings and
berryings. for have promised 10 give you the
story of my last slide"
Winter came bowling on as fercely as
usual and Jack Frost, his prime minister, was
as busy as ever in pnching our ears and fin
gers but we laughed at the cold hearted old
fellow, and were by no means TO be driven
from our play ground by any of his pranks.
The iavorlte sleds Of the boys-the "Vic-
tory" the Giraffe" and | know not how
many others, in all the glory Of green, red, and
yellow-were often at our service and as their
owners, with boyish gallantry, Were always
ready to save us from the uphill part of the
business, we felt ourselves quite as important
and as happy as queens!
One unlucky recess, merrler shout than
usual from the play-hill called our good gov
erness, Mrs. Lee, TO the door. Her sober Lizzie,
who lowered by half head above all the rest
of us, met her eyes in the unfortunate attitude
of rolling down hill with her brother, in most
comical hurry, while the sled on which they
had commenced their voyage stood brought
up" against a snag halfway down. The
unke of the bell called us in Immediately; and
as Lizzie and | passed her, with glowing
cheeks, after having shaken the snow from our
iiocks, she gently remarked
Lizzie and Mary, dear, don't slide with the
boys again. Better leave sleds to the chill
dren-you should be quite young ladies by this
time!"
Lizzie bowed her Aaxen head demurely, and
passed on while | fell to puzzling myself
about my claims to young hood, which
had never entered my head before. wish OF
Lizzie's :. dear mamma" had always been to
us the same as a command, as the wishes OF
all mothers should bel and we quietly submit