Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-04-08
A Sleigh Ride for Life.


with warm, drizzling rain, all day !;
but just before dark the wind changed.
and greet masses of inky clouds rolled
up from the northwest. 1t grew cold
very rapidly, and before 8 o'clock the
soft "sposby" snow had become a
frozen mass of ice. The morning
dawned clear and bright, with the
mercury only four degrees above zero.
Frosty particles glittered in the air, and
the cleared fields at the base of the dis
tant blue Oquago mountain seemed
cased in letters of ice.
"Boys," said father, rising from the
table and going where the warm fire
was glowing like molten gold in the
open CRATE, "cant yon take Mr.. Fen
tons sleigh home this morning az you
20 to school? It's down hill most Of
the way. and you can draw it easily by
hand. You will have plenty of time
before school commences, and then
you'll not be bothered to come home
with the horses"
Of course, we could take it, just as
we'll as not. John was II, and I was
10, hale and hearty; and with our
strength of muscle and ambitious
spirits, we undoubtedly felt, as most
young men Of that age do, that We were
O "full team" for almost anything.
The long, yellow sleigh, with three
seats and heavy swan.necks in front,
was soon at the door. The dinner
basket and books we're placed therein,
ard each took Lis place at the pole, for
. brisk run along the icy road.
Let me say one word to you, boys.
before you go" said father, coming out
upon the stone steps. Don't under
take to ride down hill. Itsicy and it's
dangerous. Remember what I tell
you"
"All right" we replied in concert,
as we started 90 a run. The half-mile
that interviewed between our place and
the school-house was soon passed. A
number of girls and boys were running
about the yard al we came up.
"Hurrah for sleigh-ride--a genu-
inc old fashioned good oue!' I shouted
as we halted before the door. "Come
boys and girls, get in. Load up the
old sleigh, and go down to Mr.. Fenton's
with us. Wen have glorious time,
and We can all get back before school
commences. Comet"
Alas, in our moments Of excitement
and hilafi'y. how soon was the admoni-
ton of kind father forgotten!
"Goodr calculated Harry Sugars,
bHttoning up his coat and drawing on
his mittens. Girls, get your cloaks
and shawls, and bundle up, and we'll
have half-hour's fun fit for king"
In less than five minutes the long
sleigh was we'll filled with laughing,
merry crowd. and we were ready to
hold the pole, and two of the larger
boys took their places on the sides to
steer. Herb Martin stepped behind
and pushed the sleigh two or three rods
as fast as he could run, and then leaped
aboard. We were fairly under way.
Before we had passed over ter rods, I
began to see that We had undertaken q
dangerous ri !e. On we few, gather
ing speed faster and faster with every
rod we passed over, until the keen air
blew in our faces, and the trees ard
fences seemed to dash past us at an
amazing rate of speed. What if we
hould happen to meet loaded vehicle
I could not help shuddering at the
thought. The boys who we're acting as
steersnen were stout fellows who
knew their duty we'll; but noticed
they already had hard work. and the
sleigh, with its heavy load of human
freight. was getting beyond their con-
troll. We had not taken into consider
alton the icy read, and the weight of
the load that vas propelling the smooth
steel sleigh-shocs with ALMOST irrssisti
BILE power.
We had good mile of down grade
to ride, and scarce quarter of the dis
lance had yet been passed. A shor.
way below US the road made an abrupt
turn TO the right. around spur of the
steep hillside. The ground had slid
away on the lower side of the road
around this turn, and an almost sheer
precipice yawned below for more than
80 feet. Could we make the turn I?
We had little time to think. a loaded
sleigh bad passed along the road the
night before, and the runners had cut
deep burrows in the soft slush, which
was row frozen like adamant. Doubt.
les, these aiGed greatly in keeping our
sleigh in proper position. We dashed
around the dangerous turn like wild |
fire. l shuddered as L caught TN in
stantaneous glimpse ofthe tall tree-tops |