The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-11-27

.But I tell you what, Puss," said papa,
tsY GU shall tir Clear the Track t. the
bedpost, and m sure he'll not get away
before morning.
Ofcourse, with both papa and mamma
against her, Bessie bad to give up; al
though she told Joe afterward that she
could just "a we'll have slept between the
runners as not.
As bed -time drew near Joe and Bessie
never felt less sleepy in their lives. Joe
had been caught with his skates buckled
on, walking over tho dining-room floor
"Just to try his ankles he said (although
I don't see why he should have been SO
happy, when the snow that was coming
would surely spoil his fun); and Bessie
sat on ''Clear the Track" all the evening,
telling her largest doll the greatest stories
Of what was going to happea on the NOR
row. It was nine o'clock. Joe was
sound asleep, with his skates under the
pillow; and Bessie, with "Clear the
Track" tied tight to the trundle-bed, still
clasping in her plump little hand the
iron neck of one Of the swans,was dream
ing of coast so long that it looked at
that time as if it would last until morn
ing.
At ten o'clock there was wind and cold
enough, but still no snow; and the
village went to bed-the children to
dream OF skates and sleds, and the older
ones to wonder where the money was
coming from to buy them.
But the next morningl There was no
doubt about it then, for the snow was
whirling past the windows at tremend-
Gus rate.
';What do you think about school to-
day, mother?" asked papa.
Breakfast had been eaten and the clock
hands were slowly moving around toward
starting time. ,.'-
ssNo school to-day, think" said NAM
ma, looking out at the drifting snow and
the leaden sky overhead. ~ ~
sob! mamma" and Bessie sat down on
"Clear the Track" and came very near
crying. . r.
way to school and ali the way home
again" said Joe, with very deep groan
''and now you've spoilt it all.''
And he put his head against the corner
of the mantelpiece and wouldn't be com
forted. '8 ' Il g.. t.'....
sit doesn't seem to me-" said papa, 'as
if we could have heavy storm at this
tlme-only the 9th Of November. Don't
you think, too, mamma, that the clouds
look light over thereg''
Bessie was on the window-seat in a
moment.
"Poohp' she said with very wise look
''There's blue sky enough to make a
Dutchman's jacket.
"Where2" asked mamma. +r" a@
Bessie looked again. ..
"Well, I don't seeit now; out it's there,
really and truly
''Will you promise to come home at
noon if the snow keeps on2"
ooh! yes,' they promised over end
over again, and Joe, Bessie, and "Clear
the Track were soon ready to start.
"Keep in the road! Don't go across
the tields!;' called mamma out of the
window. ..
Two kisses were thrown back. with the
answer, Gail right. Good-bye.'
The school-house was long distance
away; for, as the village wasn't rich
enough to have school all to itself, the
next village had joined with them
in supporting one, which was built half
way, and the children had nearly a mile
to walk.
sob, why did l let those children go9'
said mamma to herself. the minute
they wore out of the yard. The
little brightness all disappeared from the
sky and tue wind whistled around the
house, rafting the blinds and whirl1ne
the snow this way and that into every
crevice and corner it could find.
"Why did I do it," she repeated a
hundred times that morning, as the hours
went on and the storm went sweeping by
At eleven o'clock she could stand it no
longer. Calling Jane, the maid, she
told her to 60 at once to the store and
tell her master to send for Bessie and
Joe without delay. >..:5
It took poor Jane five minutes Just to
go from the side door to the gate, and
half an hour to reach the store. The drifts
across the road ran from fence to fence
and even the teams were struggling along
an inch at a time. 49,. -. -
"Say I will 60 at once,'" said papa
A neighbor was passing in sleigh, and
they agreed to push on together.
How it did snow! As ON the hills, SO ir
the valley. The roads were almost i'm
passable. The horse plunged and reared
as the hugh snow-drifts arose before him
and the binding storm dashed into hi
face.
'They couldn't have gone further thar
the half way house, any way" said the
neighbor, trying to keep papa's courage
up. The half way house was where lit
tie old woman lived all alone, and sold
apples and candy to the children as they
passed on their way to school.
| The horse struggled on.
"Blees ye, sir, the childers is gone bach
two hours ago, ach wild stick o. candy
so smilin' and happy" said the little ole