The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1861-01-09
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was adrift upon the bosom of white
Winter.
! That old red sleigh, with It's long h-x
that never was full, for Down in the straw.
wrapped in the robes. or on one or aneth-
er of the four seats it contained, there
was always room for one more. What
a grouping If bright young faces there
used to be in IL Fnces in hoods. IN
caps and in blankets; hearts that have
loved since; hearts that have hrokcns
hearts that have mou!d"rcd. And away
NC went over the hill, AMI through the
vale, under the moonlight ana under the
cloud; when the stars were looking down;
when the sun hindled the world into
great white jewel; ut lh,se days have
gone forever away, and the sweet old
necklace of bells big in the middle Of tho
string, and growing small by degrees.
has lost its power over the pulses.
In tiat old sleigh brides have gone
| away before noW--those that were mar
ried to manhood, those that were mar
ried unto DEATH Great ships hayo
gone over the waters with less Of hope
and happiness, than that rude craft has
borne over the li!lows of winter; AVAIL
like shapes now glance along tbs arrowy
way, but give Us, for ita sweet memories
Of Yesterday, the old red sleigh.
Then, the days when we were coast
ers; and down the big bin, by the maple
wood, through the little pitches, far into
the valley we came with merry shout
! How like flock of swallows we were.
And then it was, when the wind had
swept away the snow from pond and
stream, and the ice was gat G, that We
put on Tho rockers and darted hitler
and thither, and cut 6's and SIS and drew
the girls that we had taken shine 70,
whatever that may be,-and whrled
them like maple leaves in their little red
cloaEs over the highway of crystal. Ard
the schools where we spelt each other
down, and the schools where we sang.
Windham and Near. and the schools
where we cypbered and wroteand taught
like the melting SHOWS under the Rail-
bow of April.
And when, sometimes after the gree t.
snow, the winds come outof the north
for frolic, what wreatLings and carvings
of the cold Alabaster there were. What
| Corinthian adorn;sgs were fashioned
reside the way; what fairylike caves in
| the drifts; what flowers Of rare finish aud
pendants Of pear! on the trees.
Have you quite forgotten lie footprints
we used . find in the damp snow; as
| delicate, some of them as q love-letter;
the mysterious paths down to the brock,
or by the cid hollow tree, that We rscd
! to wonder over and set 'tisure-tours' by,
| if perchance, We might catch The makers
thereof? Have you quite forgotten how
sorry you were for the snow BIRDS that
| fiuttered among the fakes and seemed
tossing and lost in the storm:
And there in the midst of that Winter.
| Christmas was set, that made the Thank
giving. last all throu 5h the night of the
year, and what wonder the stars and the
| fires burned more brightly therefor
| Christmas with its gifts and its cheer;
its carol aud charm; its evergreen branch
and its bright, nlorninsg dreams.---'
Christmas, whom stockings were suspend
ed by hearth and by pillow all over Ito
land: stockings s:lkcn aud white; stock
ings homely and b'ue, an eren the little
red sock with hole in the toe. B.essea
forever be Bethlebeu'. star,
Then those evening. At home-those'
hours full Of kgend and song those
hea full Of {, it'll, love and hope-th"sc'
homes pa sed forever away. F. Tay-
Tor.
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