Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1867-03-01
TERMS Of e0vERJ Jlsine,
The pays Of the oIa Red sIeIah.

The old rcd sleigh, with its long box
that never was fun, Far down 10 The straw,
wrapped in the robes, OF in o,e or anoth !.
er OF the four seats Il contained there was
always room for one more. What group
ling Of bright young facps there used TO be
always ia itl Faces in hoods. in caps, aud
blankets; hearts that have loyed since,
hearts that have broken, hearts that have
moldered. And away We went oset the
hill, and through the vsiloy, uhdvr iiIe
moonlight aud under the cloud; when the
stars were locking down, when the sun
kindled the world -int4 great white Jew
,el; but those days baye gone forever away.
and the sweet necklace Of bells, big in the
niiidlu ~ tkeAetFIng, aud growing sma D.
.by degrees, has lost its power over tho
pulses. T ss..e ss sfivsr
In that. old sleigh, brides have gone
away. before now-those that were married.
TO nianhood-ttosc that were suiarried
10 DEATH" Great ships have gone over
,he waters with less OF hope aud happiness
than that rude craft has. borne OYER the
billows of Winter. Swan ike shapes now
glance along the arrowy way, but give us,
for its sweet memories Of yesterday, itl1e
old red sleigh si lsat adl sss Il
Then the days when We were "coasters;''
and down the big hill by the maple wood,
through the little pitches. far Into the. val-
hey, we came With merry shoii,. each the
-soiitAry manager Of his little craft. How
like flock of swallows we were, dashing
down the decliyity. and in among group
Of sleds, side by side with rival, shooting
Ike an arrow, steerihg in gaflantly ahead
like jockey, and on our way up with a
sled in tow, ere our party had reached the
valley below. u + effos a5 -
And then it was. when the wind had
swept the snow from the pond and stream,
anFi the ice was so glare. that we pat on
the ''rockors' aud dar,ed hither and thith-
er, and cut sizes and cighis aud lcuryes
without number, aud drew the gitls we
loved, and whirled them like leaves aoyes
tho highway of crystal. ~ i hs'sl4,s
And the schools where We spelt each
other down, aud tho schools where we
sang Wndham and Near, aud gweut up;''
gone, all gone, the teacher and taught,
like the melting snows under the rEipbov
Of April f3f lfaa ms4ss 8ais
And when, sometimes aftor the great
snow, the winds came out of the North
for lrolic, what wreathines and carvings
Of the. alabasior there weret What CO.
rinthan adorning surpounted tho fence
posts; what holdings were fashioned boz
side the way; what flowers of rare finish
,spd-pcndssis Of pearls on the treesl '''----
Have you quite forgotten the footprints
We. used TO fnd in tho snow, ss delicate,
some Of them, as the love letteD the mys-
ierioos paths down 10 the brook or down
by the old hollow tree. that Ne used 70
wander over and set "hgure fours" by, If
porehance we might catch the maker thure-
or Have you quite forgotten how sorry
you were for the snow-brd. that huttercd
among tho fakes. aud seemed tossing and
lost ia tho storm .fUa ffaae8
And there 10 tho midst Of that Winter,
Christmas was set, that made the Thanks
giving labt all through tho night oi tho
yoab and what wonder the stars aud tho
lros burpod more brightly IhereioI
Christmas, with ila gilis aud It's cheer ~
carol aud charm, iis evergreen branch,
aud ils bright morning drealps; Christmas,
when there we're prints nppifshe chimney
tops, II We were only there TO sea them,
where Santa Cpus set hisfuot as the clock
struck twelve; christmas, when stockings
slken and white, slockings hoDely aud
blue, aud even the litiie red sock with a
hole in the toe. Blessed forever be Beth
lehem's star!- Bey. H. Iaytor sf