The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-03-27

| ted, though not without some regrets Tor the
lost luxury TO ourselves and to each other.
81 wish | could always be Title !" l ex-
| claimed the next morning, standing at the Top
of the forbidden "slide," down which the boys
and the younger, though scarcely smaller, girls
were capering. 81 don't want to be young
lady at all :"
"Lizzie! Mary take passage on the II
ger Lily ," shouted her brother Martin, drag
ging forward his new, tiger-spotted, orange
sled-the gayest of all the gay ones on the
play ground.
We shook our heads sorowfully.
"She's the heetest craft ever launched, tell
you Come on ~
1--WE can't! Mother says we are too big
girls to Slide" answered Lizzie
~ he whstled, measuring us both,
with his eye, from head TO foot. Too big!
wouldn't be a girl, anyhow" And with
this gallant and highly gratifying 60 HIMSELF
exclamation, he whirled about on his heel, and
slid away.
"Come, Mary" said Lizzie, with a sigh,
" let us 60 and look up the jumping-rope
And we tried to find some consolation IN
discovering which of us could jump fifty times
1--WE were not allowed to skip longer without
stopping) in the least number Of seconds.
Winter with its sliding days, was nearly
over, when one evening Lizzie and myself
came around there, in one of our sociable ram
bes. The new moon had just arisen, with a
sort of dim veil over her face, and a rainbow
halo around it.
at will rain-or snow-in three daYw said
Lizzie, decisively.
GLOW do you know ?"
Because, don't you see, there are three
stars inside of the moon-rainbow!
We looked down on the HILL twas smooth,
still. and beautiful the scholars had all gone
home an hour before; Martin was in the vii
lage. half mile off, You can guess what
temptation Jumped into both our heads at once.
"F we had the Tiger Lily y" whispered
Lizzie, gancing around, as though she scarce
" knew whether or no the wish were guilty
one.
Il know where it is" answered, eagerly !;
behind the rose bushes, under the ell-window
shed. But-can we? Didn't your mother
forbid us ?"
emo, not exactly" answered Lizzie,
rather doubtfuly. "She only meant that we
should not slide with the school-boys, nor be-
fore people and am sure no mortal eye, not
even hers, can look upon us now, for she was
in the west wing five minutes ago."
Here was dilemma-what should we have
done, children2 Why, have gone and asked
her, to be sure-then we could have gone down
hill with perfectly clear cOnsciencesl Rni
children are not always ready enough to think
of what is Just eractly right so we satisfied
ourselves by resolving that we would tell her
afterwards, and that she would not blame us.
as we had not broken any positive or implied
command.
"Just one sde" urged Lizzie, in reply to
my objections I'll answer for it; she won't
be angry with u.s."
We took the "Tiger Lily" from its nesting
place 1t looked so beautiful, so fleet, and so
tempting! We drew it to the hilltop, both
seated ourselves, and down-away we went,
with the swiftness almost of lightning! 1t
was short pleasure, to be sure; but we felt
half afraid of transgressing, should we cOntin-
ue it.
We drew back the sled, and bounded to the
door steps to stand watching the CLEANS of
sunset which the snow still held.
"Well girls!" said gentle voice.
We looked around, and saw Mrs. Lees kind
eyes smiling upon US, as she came from the
doorway, wrapped in large, warm shawl
"Will it slump % she inquired, carefully
putting her foot upon a snow-bank.
"Oh, MOI it would bear Goliath himself!''
| cried Lizzie, with Jump upon IT,
"Suppose you bring sled and draw me
along upon it little way" said her mother,
very good-humoredly.
The idea almost lifted US off the snow bank
with surprise! Mamma upon a hard sled
that grave, sober woman! what tcas the world
coming to?
| We lost no tive IN seating her upon oul
favorite sled, and then, joining hands over the
handle, we played the part of her two obedien
steeds to our hearts content.
"Take one slide, mammal" we both plead
ed, as she was about to arise.
"Well" she acquiesced, after moment
hesitation. ------.-s---
Pushed with all the strength of our fou
Young arms, the "Tiger Lily" darted from