The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-01-26

why do you not follow those sledges?"
asked Mr.. Lenthal.
"They are taking the short road" said
Ragnar;;
tainly report you as obstinate and in
capable, said Mr.. Lenthal, angrily.
am going on the regular winter
road, across the bay on the ice," said
Ragnar. They will come to trouble on
the land road when the snow drifts"
Mr.. Lenthal did not believe this, for
there was no snow falling yet, and he
was going to take the reins from Ragnar
and follow the other sledges, but Mrs.
Lenthal begged him not to. 81 will
trust our good skjuts," she said; and
Ragnar's cheeks Redeemed with pleasure.
Soon after this the snow began, and
fell so fast and drifted SO heavily that all
traces of a road were lost. Mr. Lenthal
had begun to be very angry and uneasy,
when the sledge suddenly glided out on
the smooth ice of the bay. On each side
in the ice, about as far apart as telegraph
poles. These marked the road, and the
snow, instead of drifting in huge piles,
was blown along the slippery ice, far out
to sea, so that the road was plain and
smooth. Mr.. Lenthal began to think
differently of Ragnar. After they cross.
ed the bay they had long, steep hill to
climb, and the snow-drifts made the
sledge pitch and strain, till something
snapped, and it tilted over. Ragnar
stopped the horses and helped his passen-
gers out.
Now, what shall we do? Three miles
yet to the station we cannot walk that.
You must take horse and ride on for
another sledge," said Mr. Lenthal.
Ragnar took long coil of rope from
his pocket, and said, II was ~going to
strengthen the sledge before we started,
but you wished to hurry. l will do it
now, but it will take longer, as the run
ner is now broken
Mr. Lenthal said nothing more, and
after half an hours delay they started on,
and reached the station just as the skjuts
led out fresh horses.
Ragnar," said Mr. Lenthal, while
waiting for the new sledge he had to hire,
when we come back 1 shall see you
again; but now 1 thank you, and beg
your pardon for my doubts to you"
They had no time to say more, and
Ragnar did not see his passengers again
for two m onths. Then they came to his
station with their son, and stayed two
days to rest. They told Ragnar that he
had saved their sons life, for they were
bringing him some medicine which could
not be gotin Umea, and if they had been
delayed in reaching him, it would have
been too late to save him. Now he was
nearly well, and the grateful parents
offered to take Ragnar to Stockholm, and
send him to school, and let him also study
his beloved wood carving. You May be
sure that he went, and very proud were
all his friends OF the fine pulpit which
Ragnar sent some years after to the vii
lage church. and around the base of
which he had carved the words, $50 run
that ye may obtain
The other two sledge-boys, who had
been in too great hurry, spent all that
day and part of the night laundering
about among the drifts, and nearly died
of cold, besides getting into trouble with
their passengers; and when they passed
Ragnar's station, some weeks after, they
had nothing to say but, "Ragnar is
ooh, nor said Father Sylfeld, the
postmaster; she is not lucky, but he
knows hoaO to hurry"
Perhaps you boys will be many years
older before you learn how to hurry. 1t
is not hurrying your lessons to have time
to play, nor hurrying in your business to
have time for amusement, that will bring
you on quickly to the right place Do
not be in hurry, but be ready to hurry.
Be willing to take the track marked out
before you by experienced men, rather
than 60 stumbling through snow-drifts,
and losing the track which you may
think is shorter. And do not hurry at
the beginning of life's journey, my dear
boys. Life is long, and boys are ruined
by being fast. 80 Christian Soldier.