River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-03-07
Frsm Our Young Folks.
Gussy's COasting.
BY ANA BoYNToN AYERIL1.

There is one evening in Gussy Hale's
life that she will remember as long as
she lives, and that is the evening she
went sliding with Gid on Maple Hill.
She carried as happy little heart
there as ever beat in baby bosom, and
brought il home with her too. Her
fingers ached desperately, to be sure,
and the tears came through her nose
unaccountably, and there was bruise
on her forehead but all this was of no
account whatever.
Evening after evening she had heard
the joyous shouts, and watched the
darling sleds, with her face pressed
against the pane, and her whole soul
in sympathy with the noisy throng,
until she was struck dumb with Joy by
her fathers announcement that she
should go, for once, with Gid. Her
mother began to protest mildly with a
"Now William % and Gussy was kept
quivering in suspense for five minutes
while the subject was discussed. Her
father urged that the evening was fine,
and that Gideon was fully competent
to take care of his little sister; and her
mother consented finally, with many
cau&ons to Gideon, and with a promise
from him that he would slide her five
times, and no more.
Gussy is a most unwieldy little
dancer, but she usually expresses in
tense Joy by kind of clumsy gymnas-
tic feat which Gid calls dancing. She
hops as high as she can raise her little
fat body, comes down solidly on her
heels, or loses her equilibrium reck-
w Iu frl1n
her mothers decision, she betOok her
self to her favorite exercise with such
zeal, and laughed and sang, and Rugged
and kissed them all by turns so raptu-
rously that it did their hearts good to
see her.
1t was such a new and wonderful
experience, however to be out under
the cold, brilliant moon and the wink
ing stars, walking with Gid among the
shadows, the houses, steeples, trees,
and fences all unfamiliar in the weird
light,-that she grew quite still and
awe-struck.
While they climbed the hill, the
coasters came dashing past them,-
boys and girls, large and small, but
none so small as she. In vain she
looked for Kitty Plummer or Doyey
Haines. Meg Cameron was there with
her superb new sled, the "Queen of
the Hills 7" but Meg was ten, an only
daughter, and far too proud to care for
little four-year-olds. While Gid settled
Gussy comfortably on the sled at the
top of the hill, Meg, adjusting her
overshoe, looked on scornfully.
Il should think your mother would
keep such babies at home"
Gids eyes flashed, only nobody saw
them. There was always war between
these two. She hated him because he
was the only boy in school who would
not reply TO her taunts; and he de-
spised her because she was saucy, and
was a girl. II boy went beyond the
bounds of forbearance, it was some
times extremely gratifying to force him
mp to the mark, and exact fair play
according to the school-boy standard
A girl could be equally exasperating,
and at the same time be exempt from
the deserved punishment, thus becom-
ing doubly obnoxious.
He only stood up silently now, and
waited until the "Queen of the Hills y
was on her way; then, as he glided
after, with his chin over Gussys Shout
der, he whispered, "Never mind,
Chick, she's only a girl!" And Gussy
was altogether too young and too hap
Ply to resent this implication.
Meg's fling was only one of the lit
tie pncks which children as we'll as
grown men and women have TO endure !;
and little triumph followed it too,
for old Pointer distanced the "Queen
of the Hills, and all the boys set up a
shout at the sight.
That slide counts one, and twas
a good one wasn'tit, Gussy shouted
Gid, triumphantly Juggling her up the
hill again.
+" Yes, f" piped Gussy back, for all the
coasters conversed at the top of their
lungs 81 never went so'fast! We've
vents fast as the wailwoad ~
This time all the sleds came ND at
once, and were to start together for a
race but Gid, mindful of his mother Is
caution, waited I'll tDry ual all gone
down, and then started alone with
Gussy. With all her delight, she was
a little timid as yet, and grasped the
sled tightly, cautioning him to ego
stwait."
"I shall go straight, Gussy," he
assured her. " See, drag my loot
so, and steer just as true as a dart"
" l may sheer some time, mayn't ~
she questioned, catching her breath as
they began go faster and his answer
was lost N the huzzas at the foot OF the
hill.
This makes two! " he said, turninq
The sled and climbing back. 1--WE can
have three more Can you keep tally,
Ducky "
4" Yes, she answered, looking MP al