Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-03-05

recognized as the voice of an eccen-
trio old codger who lived two or three
miles from the village. "What yer
dewin' here, yer catermounts ?"
:" Winding our own business" re-
blood was dropping. "This hill is for
us boys to slide on, aud nobody but
greenhorns ever drive through here,
eitherl"
"Sho !" drawled theold man calmly,
getting back slowly into his sleigh, and
turning his horse. "Then, SEEM s I
don't set up for a greenhorn, boys, I
guess I'll go back. Sorry, though,
that split your slide"
This was certainly rather unexpect-
ed, and called forth chorus of apollo
gies from the other boys; but Hugh,
somewhat hurt and very much
ashamed, went sulliIy home, followed
by Meg, and sorrily soothed by her
triumphant CT told you So"
Gussy's remaining three slides were
delightful successes, for old Pointer
was prodigy of speed, and the cheers
which invariably followed their wild
progress were very exhilarating to
Gussy.
g Noa0, Chicky," Gid said, after the
fifth slide, "you stand here a minute
with Lucy, and see us boys go all
hitched together once. O, you'll say
it's funl You watch, and when the head
boy gets to the jounce, and hollers
Hoop, to -" you'll see him pop; and
then the whole train III go popping
after him, right up into the air and
down with a chunk and then Wen go
home"
Gussy danced with delight by Lucy's
side, but said nothing.
The Pointer was generously snapped
for Bob Thayer's " Dexter. &" and Bob
went head boy and Gid hindermost.
Each boy hitched the rope of his rear
neighbours sled to his own, and lay
flat, face down. The word was given,
and the train had begun to move from
the hilltop when Gussy broke from
Lucy, and, running with all her speed,
flung herself forward, and came down
like bomb upon her brothers head
and shoulders.
% Gas8Sy!" he screamed, helplessly,
for her fifty pounds held him down
like nightmare, &c get off! Get OFF,
g I can skoer, Gid!" shouted the lit
tie plague, sticking in her toes sturdi-
~, and swinging the sled off in spite Of
him. They were now going like the
wind.
"Boysr' bawled Gid, frantically.
''stopl hold on! don't go over that
jow-ow-ounce !"
But it was too late; the jounoe was
reached, the popping process already
begun.
His outcry had only set the boys to
g snubbing" and jamming up togeth
er, and at every pop there was a crash.
When Gid's sled struck, Gussy popped
off into space, and he was inserted
endWise in a snow-bank on the oppo-
site side of the track, so thoroughly
frightened at the thought of Gu8sy's
probable damages that he did not
think of himself All that could be
seen of that rash infant was pair of
red socks kicking vigorously but noise
lessly but it turned out, when she
was pulled up where she could breathe,
that she was very slightly injured.
'Dear little heart !" exclaimed Gid,
pityingly, rubbing her smarting fore,
head with his rough, wet mitten.
'tNo matter, Gid" she said, reso-
lutely trying not to sob. THAT sled
don t Skee1' 50 well as Pointer, does it?''
Several of the boys were hurt, but
none seriously, and they all laughed
heartily over the catastrophe. Bob
Thayer's nose excited some derision
among the scholars for few days, but
he bore it good naturally.
When the jolly coasters we're all
gathered in their respective homes,
and the hill stood white and silent in
the moonlight, Gid, sitting in the
Pickering freight, rehearsed the main
incidents of the evening to an in
terested auditor far more entertaining
ly than they are related here.