The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-04-03
From the Friend Of Youth.
THE NEW SKATES: A TRUE STORY.
ny HELEN IRVING

In a pleasant home, in one OF the towns Of
New England lived a brother and sister, named
Frank and Fanny Russell There was only
year and half difference in their ages ; and
though Fanny was the elder, she did not appear
50, for Frank was stout and strong, and quite
as tail as his sister He was brave, happy
little fellow, with bright, waving auburn hair,
pleasant hazel eyes, and plump, uddy cheeks,
and resembled Fanny very much, only that
her face was smaller. and her eyes and hair of
a darker shade.
They loved one another very dearly and
from the time when Fanny first saw her little
brother stretch out his arm to her and call her
III his baby language, she had liked him for a
payiellOw better than any other. When they
We're very little children, they would amuse
themselves together all day and at night, when
they were laid to rest in their CRIB Fanny had
a sweet way OF singing herself to sleep and II
was very pleasant for her mother to hear the
little voice, and TO know, when at last it be
came drowsy and ceased, that her darlings
were quietly and happily asleep.
As they grew older, they were very fond of
playing in the fields and gathering great bou-
quels of the sweet clover blossom, or weaving
chains of the long dandelion stems, and SO GO
ing home loaded with necklaces and bracelets
10 their mother. Or they would run long races
with their beautiful little spaniel Pero. who
would shake his brown silky ears and bark
gleeiully, as If he enjoyed the sport quite as
much as they. And when there came rainy
days, and they Were obliged to play in the
house, although Frank was n strong, active
little boy, he was always very gentle with his
sisters playthings, and never broke her dolls. or
overturned her baby house; though, indeed,
he grew tired OF these things much quicker
than Fanny, and was quite sure that swinging
and tossing their balls and running in the gar
den was much peaSaner and sometimes
Fanny thought so, too. But they Were very
happy in the winter evenings, when the lamps
We're lighted, and tea was over, and they sat
around the table, reading over and over again
the stories in their pretty books, or listen
ing while their mother told them of the
days when she was little child like them
selves and it seemed to them that the hands
OF the clock came very soon to bed time, when
they had To bid the bright, pleasant room good
night.
AT the time TO which this story refers. Frank
was about eight years old, and Fanny rather
more than nine. Ii was fine. clear, winter
weather, and every day before school-time, and
after their lessons were over, they Were out
playing with the cold, white snow, or sliding
on the ice, or coursing down the hill close by
the house. Frank had beautiful new sled.
painted bright, soft red color, with a narrow
border OF yellow and black around it, all var
niShed To shine very brightly, and in the cen
ire was printed in large gold colored letters
Cox" suppose II was called Fox because
II could run so fast-at any rate, ii was quite
the prettlest. swiitest sled TO be found any
where; and, oh, what fine times they had
with ii
Fanny, with her cloak belted warmly round
her waist, her little crimson hood, and her
white mtens clinging Snugly about her wrists,
never felt the cold and il you had seen Franks
cheeks glowing above his red wooIlen scarf,
you never would have asked if he We're warm
enough.
They would take " Fox out from his rest
ing place in the back entry, and march off.
quite proud of their treasure. When they
reached the top of the hill. (Which was very
near, being part of their fathers place. and
were ready for start Frank would get upon
the front of the sled, with his feet out ON either
side TO Sc steer" grasping the rope in his hands.
then Fanny would kneel behind him, holding
on by her arms around his neck. and down the
hill they went-so grandly. Once in a while
10 be sure they got fall into the snow before
they reached the bottom, but that did not hurt
them much, and they Were soon all ready to
start again.
Quite near the house-just ON the other side
OF the garden--was a fine, large pond. where
the boys used TO skate. and where Fanny some
times went TO slide with her brother when
there was no one there. Frank felt as il he
We're quite large boy this year and when
the ice came, he besoughi his father very
earnestly to give him pair Of skates like the