Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1866-01-19
Row We Went out A-SleigEing and How
L. We Came Back.

EnScOnSeu IN robes and cushions by
the side of a lovely woman, we drew
the strings over the glistening backs of
a pair of bonny nags, and sped away,
a-sleighing. The sun was hid behind
clouds, from which came scattering
flakes whirling and dancing in
the mir to the music of a whistling nor'-
easter. But our heart basked in sun
shine that day, as we listened to the
jingling of the bells. All! there's no
sunshine like the hearts, thought We
no sunshine like the hearts,! The nass
were of opposite sex, and we dubbed the
! off-one Susie and the near-one George.
we chose these names, perhaps, because
we knew a George who was not horse
who liked to go with Susie who was
not mare. Susie Horse had the small
est feet, the handsomest head, the
brightest eye, the prettiest manner, and
was Us tall as George Horse, though
slenderer and better formed. The anal
o@y to that other Susie and that other
George was quite complete. As we
tickled Susie OH the flank and gave
George lick below the belt, we con-
ceived ourself Il reinsman whom SulSy
might admire and make favorable men
ton of in the Spirit. We wondered if
Bella Nilfer, the lovely woman who
married "Our Mutual Friend" could
have been more lovely than she who
sat by our side in furs and WATERFALL
AS we caught her bright eye shining out
through thick folds of veil, we were
sure that even II. w. would not have
urged the point in favor of his Bella
Being satisfied with this opinion, we
drew up on the strings, touched the
whalebone to the near-one, then to the
off-one, and said, Ga-lang, you bonny
blacks!n "See how the snow flies
from under Susie's toe-corks," said we.
and our lovely woman looked at the
snow. "See how George pulls the load"
we went on, land how contented he is
in doing it with Susie by his side" An
arch look on the face under the veil
gave token that the lovely woman I'M
derstood, and We fell to whipping the
snow and looking at the feet of the Off
one. n sweet voice told us how Pa used
to go a-sleighing with the girls when he
was boy; and how Ma was once tip
ped into snow drift, and had a run of
fever afterward. Now and then the
jingling of the bells was drowned in
the musical ringing of laugh that
threatened the security of concealed
mice. Now and then left arm slipped
behind the lovely woman to- draw the
robe around her pretty form. "Ga-lang,
there, you bonny blacks!"
1t would be pleasant to stop here; but,
as faithful chronicler, we must pro-
coed. From heaven we came back to
earth, by the breaking of doubletree ! |
The shortest route we ever Travelled -
In the gutter with the lovely woman |
were we, and the sunshine incontiuent-
~ went out of our heart. Susie and |.
George were taken off, and our adorable !
was taken out. The poetry had all
gone and the reality had all come. The !
little feet Of the lovely woman were in !
the cold snow instead of the warm |
robes, and she wondered how far it was !
to house, and how far it was TO town. |
and what in the world we would do j.
The perspiration came in great beads
IN our forehead, and we were us useless
m the emergency as the George in the
harness.
On one side of the sleigh stood the
lovely woman ; on the other stood we,
and in front, quite unconcerned, stood |
susie and George. 1t was q horrible |
picture! We thought of great many
things, but it remained to the lovely
woman to think of the right thing
She had seen her Pa strap up such
breaks; and with her sweet low voice
and iitt!e gloved finger she explained
now it was her Pa done. Our morbid
mind caught the idea, and we tied Whit
ietress to sleigh with tie-straps and bri-
lle-reins. We could go on with our
'ide now. But the heads of the blacks
we're turned hOmeward, the whalebone
vas useless, and Susie's hoofs threw no
snow in our heightened faces, so de-
nurely went they down and so dcmure-
y went we home. Finally, the lovely
woman was set down at her own door,
with very cold feet and very blue nose.
We gave deep exhalation of reliet.
md took the bonny blacks, which were
,onny no more, to the place whence
hey came.
Alas! alas so soon twas done for
We wonder what it was begun for!