Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-04-17


main strength from another tumble, he looked
around with fash Of delight in his eyes,
that would have done your heart good to see.
So at it they went again, and tried and failed
aud tried and succeeded fifty times in the
course of the next two hours. At that time
Sammy could skate, and skate alone
But where had Jobnny's wits been that
he had not looked after the racing litte2
Times upl" called Mr.. Hunter. " Last
ten startl" and start they did just as
Johnny, happening to think, left his pupil
to himself, and turned about TO join in the
sport.
MAY ] 60 YETI he cried to Mr.. Turner.
AYE aye my boy" said the gentleman
aud away he shot after them, while Sammy
sat down to watch, and whispering over aud
over to himself, Oh, hope he'll win
hope he'll win"
But Johuny's head ached yet with that
FIRST fall of his, and he was tired, and little
cold. Moreover, the ten had gone fully one
third of the distance before he had started.
There was little chance Of his winning in that
race.
Why didn't the boy start sooner ?" de.
manded Mr. Hunter. {" He's the best skater
on the lake"
Please, SIR said little Sammy, he has
been teaching me to skate
lie might have taught you some other
time, think, growled MIR. Hunter
80 he might, sir, so he might but the
boys and girls were laughing at me, and he
said he would show me how when they were
so busy they could not look. That's how it
wasl'
And can you skate now without falling
down."
"Oh, yes, sir The last time tried |
went ever so far !"
Hum indeed ' said Mr. Hunter: "I'll
try your skill. maybe, when the cup is dis.
posed Of"
All eyes were now turned to watch the
eleven figures, darting on toward Skiuuer's
Point Johnny was not so far behind now,
aud hardly had the others made a swift curve
and turned back on their course, before he
passed them like the wind, making graceful
bow. swept up on line with the point, aud,
whrlng, was after them again. They could
hear the sharp ring Of his splendid new skates
on the ice, aud one Of them, who could not
resist turning his head, saw that he was gain.
ing on them rapidly.
That boy certainly makes the quickest
time, said Mr.. Hunter, " and ought TO have
the cup, even If he gets in after the others
But he should have started when they did.
lt will seem hardly fair to the hundred boys
aud girls who were on hand at the right time,
and have done their best, to give it to him.
Still, il he really wins, I'll talk to them
about it,"
But johnny was not going to win. Some
thoughtless boy had whirled a stick far out
on the ice, to show the strength of his arm,
perhaps, and the cleaning edge of skate
struck against it. There was a shock, halt
almost fall and the ten skaters brought
up, one after another at the goal, leaving
johnny quite in the rear
He came gliding up however, moment
after, in time to hear Mr. Hunters decision.
Maria Bake went to SINNERS Point in
FIVE minutes, forty seconds and half, was
being quicker time by four seconds than that
made by any other"
Hip, hip, hurrahl" cried johnny Finer
SON "three cheers and tiger for Maria
Bake!" Then there was a great deal of hurly-
burly for a while, of hurrahs and laughter,
and shrill voices, and demands to see the
beautiful cup of silver which had been handed
to the happy girl.
What was Mr.. Hunter saying The sound
Of his voice reached them through all the
noise, aud a hundred bright faces turned full
of eager interest his way.
Children said Mr.. Hunter, Sammy
Green has new pair of skates, which John
ny Emerson has been teaching him to use.
Now if Sammy will skate clear to skinner :
Point and back again without falling down,
will make him a New Years present Of new
suit Of clothes"
What great leap Sammy's heart gave !!
" never can do it in the world" he whis-
pered to Johnny.
Yes you can if you'll only keep cool, "
said johnny "and I'd rather see you in a
new suit Of clothes than to have ten silver
mugs myself"
Then III try and | wont mind bit if
they do laugh at my awkward motions. Moth
er has been sewing nights more than two
weeks, to try and earn me something to wear
and if | only could win, she could take that
money and get her new dress. I'll try my
very best"
Sammy says he'll do it" shouted John.
ny. Clear the track p
Then all of the children got out Of the
way, aud the widows son braced himself for
the start. Steady, now, steady" said
johnny, one, two, three, and-of"
Sammys soul was in his eyes. He began
to glide carefully along, flnging out his arms
to keep his balance, then, moving little
more steadily, he fixed his eyes on the dis.
tant point, and forgot everything but the
skating.
Nobody laughed at his bob-tailed coat now /;
nobody ever thought of it. On he went,
sometimes wavering little, then bracing 2
himself again, but never quite hating
E" He can't make the turn, I'm afraid,
sighed Maria Blake. That's such hard
thing to do at first See he is almost there :"
Then not another word was said, till the
boy had made broad curve and faced them
on his way back. Johnny's heart beat so
hard you could almost have heard it. Once
he thought his scholar would fall-but no
he had only stopped little because he was
'iNNf hN was Nv ~ oE"ih oeSuNASi hhhh bN~
fore aud if you ever saw roses, they bloomed
on JohnDy's cheeks five minutes later, when
painting and trembling Sammy caught bis
hand, and overcome with joy because the
prize was won, burst into tears.
This time it was not he who called for
" three cheers and tiger" for he hadn't
voice to speak, something choked him so
but such shout went up as had never been
heard on that lake before, and never will
again till Johnny Emerson wins the silver
mug next year, as Mr.. Hunter means he
shall.
So the two happy, happy boys, were drawn
into Mr.. Hunters sleigh, and carried into the
village, TO select the cloth for Sammy's new
suit and it was none of your common
" sleeps gray either but as handsome q
piece of mulberry as ever you set eyes on.
"Well," said Grandfather Emerson that
night as he shook the ashes out of his brown
clay pipe, and settled himself back to count
the bills left in his old leather pocket.book
" well, | never did better thing than when
| gave that storekeeDer ten dollars for a mai,