Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1881-03-30
A Sleigh Ride For Life.

, The month OF February was draw.
ing toa close. There had been a
thaw, with warm, drilling rain,
all day: but Just before dark the
wind changed. and great masses oi
lnky clouds rolled ny from the north.
west. Ii grew cold very rapidly.
and before nine O'Clock the soft,
"SposhN SHOW had become Il frozen
mass of ice. The mor"lng dawncd
clear and bright, with the mercury
only inur degrees above zero.
Frosty pmt.cl,> E.ittcIcd iu the air.
aud the cleared iirliN At ,hr base of
ttr 1l,t"nt h'E' OlEtyo Mountain
seemed caNrd IN letters ~ ice.
"BnNS. said father. rising from
the table ami going where the warm
lirc was glowing like molten gold in
the open CRATE, ''raut YOU take Mr..
Frntnu's sleigh home this morning
as YOU - 10 school? It's down hill
most %. the way. and You can draw
il easily by hard. You will have
p,cnty ut time before school com.
mcucc>, and then NOu'll not h. both
cred 20 come nome with the horses"
o. cuu.> 81 We rug.d take it lust as
we'll - ru,. John was seventeen
aId "H> nineteen. bale and hedr.
~: and. with oar strength of muscle
and ambitious spirits. "" undouht
rGlN felt. - most Nuun- men oi thai
age un, ,'i;.t W. wee Il "iull team"
Tor almost anything. The long yell
low SLEIGH. with three seats and
heavy SNduucch> in front. WAS soon
nj the door. The dinner ha> kct and
book, wett- placed therein. and each
took his plarc N the pole, for
bIi>k nm along The icy road.
"ic;ur SAY one word 10 You. boys.
before lun TO- sad father. coming
ont upon the stone steps: Don't
undertake 10 vide down hill. It's
icy and It's dangerous. Remember
.uhat Tel lor."
".All light" We replied in concert,
as we started on u nm. The half
mile that interviewed between our
place and the school honsr was soon
passed. \ number of girls and boys
were running about the yard as we
came up.
"llprIah for = sleigh ri'lc-a gen.
nine old fashioned good onr."
shouted. rs We halted before the
door. Come. boys and girls, get
in. Load up the old sleigh. and go
down to Mr.. Fcmton'S with us.
Wen have u glorious time, and we
can all get back before school com.
meHceS. Come"
Alas. IN our moments of excite.
mcut and hliarity, how soon was the
OF "a kind father forgot
ten.
"Goodr calculated Harry Sugars,
up his coat and drawing
on his mittcuS. "GlrlS. get your
cloaks and shawls, and bundle mp,
and well have a half.hours fun tit for
a King
IN less Than five minutes the long
sleigh was well filed with laugh.
ing, merry crowd, and we were rea
dy to start. Billy Smith stood mp
in front 10 bold the pole. and two of {,
the larger boys took their places on .
the sides Ia Steer. Herb Martin .
stepped behind and pushed the /
sleigh Two OF three rods rs fast as
he conld run, and then leaped .
aboard. We were fairly under way.
Before We had passed over ten rods .
began To SEQ that we had undertaken .
A dangerous ride. On we flew, gath.
ering speed faster and faster with
every rod We passed over, until the ,
keen air blew in our faces, and trees
and fences seemed to dash past MS
1T an amazing rate ofspeed. What
# we should happen to meet load
pd vehiclei could not help sbud.
1ering at the thought. The boys
rho we're acting as steersmen were