Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-12-20

Of the school scurrying past, and the jingle
Of their skate irons was like q trumpet to
warriors ears but what is n war horse with
out bride or spurs, Gallowses had no
skates! And what fun was there in going to
look ony Miss Judith grew a little nervous
at last watching the little figure with elbows
on the table, and a shorn head in its hands,
poring over lesson for next week
"Why don't you follow the rest of the boys
wherever they are? The Kitchens no place
for Saturday 2"
Miss Pophurst had turned the scale, and
once astir, the war horse seemed to have
wing.
"lIalloa There's Golowses! Come on !
Let's sec what he can do p was the cry on
the pond. Gallows,s felt his finger tips tin
gle. the skatu-irous rang circles, squares and
pigeon wings. Deacon Bayborry was setting
up another psalm tune down in the mill and
oh-why c0uldathe go on with the rest
At last sudden curve brought a small
skater glowing and breathless, close to the
bank where he stood
'Halloa, Gallowsos why don't you come
On? Where are your skates?'
Il haven't any - and then, could he ?
should he? Yes, he must! Couldn't you
leud me yours for five minutes or ?"
Couldn't do it :" and with another curve
and shot, Bob Aylmer was out of sight.
Didn't you find the boys ~ asked Miss
Pophurst, as the latch lifted slowly under
Gallowses' hand Skating on the pond, eh ?
There's been more than one boy drowned
there before to-day"
Monday morning came again; but the
sport of Saturday seemed to have fallen like
sparks to tinder on the heroic spirits thirst
ing for fray. Now. boys" said the
squre's son, Its time to settle few things.
Are We Elm Tree boys going under, or are
we going skating again this afternoon
A shout OF applause followed, and Hal
went on. The master always sat absorbed in
law books through the intel1nisson, the keys
could be turned on the inside in a FASH the
heavy wooden shutters pushed over the win
dows, and there would be an afternoon for
the ice, and one for the master to learn les
sons in the dark! Hand-pledgng began
again, but there was once more gnat to the
lion; the slack trousers stood motionless
again, Sans eyes blazed, but Hal slowly
unroled Il bundle and held something glitter
ing and dangling before Gallowses' face.
With great bound Gallowses' heart leaped
up, and the brown eyes shone like stars.
For me ~ But Hal drew the prize away.
Hold on just give us your hand that you
wont lneddlo with our lookup first. ~
Miss Judy's boy started back. Was this
quick, sharp shooting pain what people call
disappointment He hadn't been used to
expecting things, and he hadn't known.
'D0nt Hal Dont show them to me! l
cdit promise You know l can't"
Look here, Gallowses, don't be fool
Didn't Sam let you have enough the other
day."
The Elm Tree School sat that morning with
flashes and mutterugs like a suppressed vol
cano, and Miss Pophurst swayed in her chair
with short. crispy little creaks She had been
thinking about something ever since Saturday
afternoon, and at last she sprang suddenly
up.
What difference does it make to Tom
Perhaps he'll be glad" and once more the
attic boards creaked and when Miss Judith
took her seat again, she laid little bundle
softly by her side. The old clock licked slow
ly Oh, but the latch lifted at last, and Miss
Judith raised the bundle from the floor.
See if those skates will fit you they
might rs well be worn as to rust, | suppose"
she said
That visit to tlfe trunk haunted Miss Pop,
hurst after Gallowses was asleep, and at last
she stole silently into his room, but before
she reached the bedside, she stood transfxed.
Good land if the child amt hugging close
to Toms skates, yet And that other things
under his cheek again, and do believe he's
been crying Why, what ails the boy ? And
the SHOWS coming down now at a rate that'll
put that mill pond out of sight for one
while. :"
And so it did, and the life went out of
skates and the lookup plan, together the
heroic spirits dropped and quiet settled in up
on the schoolroom for the next two weeks.
The holidays were coming so near that per-
haps it was as well to let them come peace
fully, after all. Thanksgiving Day astonish-
ed every one with an unprecedented thaw,
fbpf
into an ooZy surface aud though Miss
POphurst had a chicken and a little ball of
plum pudding for dinner, there was no get
ting out, and still less of the merry making
and gay company Gallowses had heard all the
boys promise themselves: and he hid away
in bed at last thankful that the day was done
how should he ever live through whole week
like that when Christmas came
But bsfore Christmas came, the world
seemed to be in altogether a different mood.
The sunset skies turned yellow as gold, and
the purple hills stood sharp and almost black
against them in the frosty air. the nights
grew singing aud clear, and at last, as Christ
mas eve itself set in, north wind whirled
down on the gloweriug pond, and when morn
ing dnwntd, rs Deacon BayberTy assured the
boys Pharaoh and all his host might feel
free to march acrost'
Whittier had all sorrowful memories fed
away, that wild, joyful, Christmas afternoon
Faster and faster flowed the warm, eager blood
through his veins had he ever been misera-
BILE had he ever sobbed himself to sleep in
world where skates and skating grounds were
found: -
On flew the hours what did make cutting
letters so very hard Over and over the ''P"
he was determined to cut Gallowses went, too
busy to notice that one by one the boys had
slipped away towards the cove above for
fresh ice for the black face of the pond was
Scared and white at last. Another fifteen
minutes, and suddenly there was wild cry
behind him-"Sam Hebberton and Hal are in
the water am going for help" and with
marble face Bob Aylmer plunged off the ice
Were those Squire PHILLIP ps's gay sleigh robes
and mottled-gray horse dashing past?
''You get out :" thundered the squire, and
snatching Bob into the sleigh, he shot the
gray horse down the mill road by the pond
and then with a swoop, round to a motionless
black group, huddled on the ice.
Aud what did the squire do then? What
had any of them done all this time, standing
mptionless, indumb, freezing terror, as the ice,
crumbling from the hands that clutched it,
brought the black, open circle nearer to their
feet
"Ihey can't hold ON there much longer"
muttered one big fellow at last desperately
pushing out u hllCh Ilhl bIhSlcu mllNAJ ioA
it it was too short.
But hark There was another skate-ring
A little figure in wide trousers was coming
up Help, Gallowses" gasped Sam. The
brown eyes took one sweep over the black,
widening gulf, aud then, jacket in hand, Gal
lowses crept toward it, One long, vicious
snarl rang across the ice Miss Judy's boy
stopped, and holding the jacket by one wrist,
flung out the other toward Sam. But an arms
length still lay between
Then something else came flashing off Gal
owses' shoulders-long, red, white, and dan
Cling. His gallowses his gallowsesl He's
tying them to his sleeves :" And the huddled
figures held their breath, but at last shout
rose up
Coming Coming! He'll fetch him
Hurrah" and half-frozen, trembling, and
livid with fright Sam came crawling on firm
| ice
But another piercing cry broke in and