Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-12-23
g Gapital Story,
FROM THE RIVERSIDE MAeAzINE.1
A Christmas Adventure
AFLoAr ON ICE
I'm THE MISSISSIPPI.
BY MARTHA NJ. THOMAS.

81 have just had letter from Sanders,
wife," said Mr.. Lape, as he entered the
kitchen from the post-of1lce "a part of it
is from Mary to YOU" He laid the letter
down beside her on the table, and stood
picking the bits of hay off his coat, which
had got on 1t while he was feeding his horse.
''He wants us to go down there snd spend
Christmas. He has finished his house, and
has plenty of room ior all. am inclined
to go.
Mrs. Lape kept on kneading her bread as
he spoke. When he paused, she said, in
quilingly -.',s,.In this deep snow and bitter
cold, James2"
Eyes, why not2 shaffer and l can
easily knock up runilers for the big wagon
bed, which will hold us all. We have plenty
Of comforts and buffalo robes We Can heat
some rocks in the oven, and they will keep
hot all the way. What are thirty-fve miles
to Tom and Jenny? they want a run badly.
The road has been travelled now for cou-
pie Of weeks, and must be beaten down
some Besides, Sanders was In Massachu-
sets in the summer, and l want TO hear
what he has to tell of the old home.
Mrs. L.ape had put her bread In the pans |;
and now, taking up the letter, she turned to
the window and read it before she answered.
"Well," she said, as she get to the end,
MARY does seem TO want us very much,
but 1t will be great trouble to her, and
such an undertaking with the children
'Think of the pleasure it will be to them
and me; and you need rest"
Mrs. Lape glanced again at The letter, and
acknowledged that she should like the
chahge,--so 1t Was settled.
The twenty-fourth dawned cold and clear.
The schoolmaster aroused them from their
thermometer fourteen degrees below zero.
He had made fires in kitchen and sitting
room. Mrs. Lape looked doubtful, and
shook her head when she heard how the
thermometer stood, but proceeded TO get
breakfast. AS she was clearing up, Mr.
Lape came In from the barn; he blew out
his lantern, and as he set it down, said, 'It
is warming up as the sun rises the ther-
mometer is up to ten; there Is no wind, and
we shall have a fine day. Hurry up, boys;
we must get off betimes."
BY eight o'clock the house was in order,
and the great wagon bed, secured on run
ners, with feather-bed and plenty of com
forts in 1t, stood at the door. The "rocks"
were taken out Of the oven and wrapped in
woolens, several pairs Of old pantaloons
doing duty on the occasion; basket OF
clothing, and another OF provision, were
in and took their places. Mrs. Lape occupied
low, splint buttomed chair, and had IA hot
.'rock' at her feet. The schoolmasier and
Mr.. Lape, buttoned up closely, called out
.tAll right; then Mr.. Lape slapped the reins
on the horses backs, and they were of. A
wide waste of snow was before them, blue
sky and brilliant sun overhead; there was
| no wind, but it was intensely cold. They
had made some miles, when suddenly Alice
sprang up with frightened cry, ''We are
on fire" pointing to wreath of smoke
which curlcd mp beside her.
Mr.. Lape drew in his horses SO suddenly,
that John was pitched out mead over heels.
The rest would have scrambled after, but
Mr.. Lape bade them sit still, and not let the
air on the smoke, or they would be in a
blaze. The schoolnaster was over the seat
| in moment, tramplipg the buffalo robe
down on the spot from which the smoke is
sued. He then cautiously took out The
crock, and threw it into the snow. The
cotton pocket of the pantaloons in which il
had been wrapped, had carelessly been al.
| lowed to come next to the hot surface, and
had caught fire, which had ignited some
straw at the bottom of the wagon, John
none the worse for his tumble, took Alice:
place. she declining to sit there again. The
only damage done was great scorch on the
ticking of Mrs. Lape's best feather-bed.
The road became heavy, and their speed
lessened. The children hud1led together
and kept their heads down, for the glare o
the sun on the snow almost blinded them
Mr.. Lape and the schoolmaster, by turns
drove, or threw their arms back aud forth
| to keep up the circulation an occasiona
inquiry as to the comfort Of those behind
was all the conversation.
About noon they came in sight OF a belt o
woods, and heard a wo0d-cutters axe, ant
also saw couple of log-cabns Driving
up to the door of one of them, Mr.. lap
haloed, and man appeared, smoking
pipe. !,
!. Got room to let US warm, Smith ?"
!" Lord bless you, yes, squire but yol
have taken an awful cold day for it."
A woman also appeared, out retreatet
quickly, and began putting tue room II
rights.
In few minutes they were seated abou
q rousing fire of whole logs, which filled u
the ample chimney. Their provisions wer
produced, and boiling water from Mrs
Smiths kettle poured on the coffee Mrs
Lape had brought in her boiler.
81 thought the road would be better
Smith," said Mr.. Lape, as they enjoyed th
grateful warmth, for they were cramped an
numhed with cold.
sNo, squire there has been no travellln
but the mail, and that only twice. Las
time Hiatt said it was to cold to venture
again for two or three letters and newspa
ptrs. You'll find it beat down as you g
towards the river. That new man tror
York State. who has come betwixt Coo
and me, has been hauling logs to build
house in sprisg. :,
Some little time was given to gettin
: | II nd in, attanlipu th
horses, ere they made another start
"Only fifteen miles now," was MIR. Lape
remark, as he cracked his whip again, an
they were once more on his frosty road
} As they neared the Mississippi, they sa'
houses here and there at long distances. Il,
fore night they reached Mr.. Sanders, col
and fatigue forgotten in the warmth OF the
welcome. Great wood fires were in all II
rooms, and their beds were spread upon Il
floor, for, as yet, Mr.. Sanders had but lit
furniture.
After plentiful supper, all Joined
"Blindman's Buff" Hunt the Slipper" an
q other games until bedtime.
Mr.. Sanders had emigra,ed with Mr.. Lap
, ,, but had located on the river, living In To-
cabin which he had built himself Now
had finished large frame dwelling, whit
stood upon high bluff, overlooking the Mi
!, sisippi, which was at present frozen co
siderable distance out. Tue land all abo
the house was still burdened with the I
i mains of building materials-that in guilty
:. ton lay some distance of.
. Christmas morning dawned cold but clea
The children played in the house all Il
:, morning. After the great dinner ef turke
' venison, and pie, John, Hattie, and Char
Sanders, boy of Johns age, went out up'
;, the river, sliding at first near the shore, b
"a "a gradually getting further and further oil
. They were recalled to the house by wo
that Mr.. Sanders was going to fire the ca
!, non.
i 80 yes, said Charlie, "Capt. Hart,w
:, commands the steamboat Hunter, ga
- father such large cannon, and he said
Y. should fire it to day."
% They hastened to the front of the hou
~ - where the whole family had assembl
= around the cannon, which MIR Lape "
" loading. The girls shudderingly remov
~ to distance when they saw the match abe
to be applied, and put their fingers in tn
ne ears, but the boys crowded closer.
lis After four shots, the women ran insi
ne and MIR. Sanders said, "We have only {
"a good charge of powder left !; we will Ike
in that until supper time, and have stunne
ge After warming, the children took Leo,
lill went ON the ice again. Fastening. the I