Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-01-21

will let you have some lines, and few min
nows for bait"
When the school.house had been properly
locked up, and they had started. dragging
the sled after them, it occurred to Ben to
suggest q slide. So all three got upon the
wood, and slid away merrily toward the
pond. The road was steep but straight,
though near the bottom there was a sharp
curve, where the wind had blown away the
snow, leaving a crust Of smooth ice. Over
this they sped at lively pace, Ben steering.
Poor Ben couldn't turn the corner, and in
another second the sled, school master, and
all plunged into the depths Of q big drift.
Nothing was to be seen of Mr.. Chalker for a
moment but his heels; but he shortly emerg-
ed, putting and laughing heartily, much to
the boys relief, who had begun TO think the
fun was all over But Mr.. Chalker shook
himself, and declared he enjoyed il, and was
ready TO try it over; in fact, he didn't act a
bit like a school olmaster, but Just like a boy
let loose-a very old boy to be sure, but
very hearty one, for all that.
1t only required q few minutes to cut
couple Of round holes in the ice, and to build
a roaring fire upon platform Of heavy sticks
and fiat stones-a fire that flung its forked
tongues into the keen air in merry defiance
of the Frost King and all his servants. The
half-dozen boys already on tho pond viewed
these preparations with considerable wonder,
but gathering courage, finally skated up aud
warmed their fingers at the FIRE. Then
somewhat more than a dozen other boys
looked out from the windows of the houses
scattered along the hill side, and said some
thing like this: Mother, guess there amt
any school to-day; don't see any smoke
comm out of the chimney. Can't go down
to the pond?"
And an equal number of mothers replied.
why, Of course not. It's much too cold
for you to go out. You said SO yourself,
and, besides, you don't feel very we'll"
There's lots OF the boys on the pond,
mother, an the skating's splendid. don't
feel so badly now Can't go? I won't
stay long think you might let"
Upon which all the mothers said, in effect,
'Well, do go along; but mind you don't get
into any air-holes"
Thus, before an hour had passed. nearly
all Of the boys in the school were gliding ov-
er the pond or gathered in the group watch
ing Mr.. Chnlker and his fishing party
Meanwhile the school. master and Ben had
enjoyed remarkable luck Four fine pick
erel lay on the ice, and fifth (much the big
gest ever seen in the pond, of course) had
been lost by Ben in pulling him up. Now it
occurred TO Mr.. Chalker that it would be
much nicer if everybody had seats, so he
suggested to the boys that they should bring
some fence rails, and sit down iu a circle
about the FIRE all of which was done with a
merry good will and Mr.. Chalker surveyed
them with infinite satisfaction through his
glasses as he hauled in another struggling
victim of his hook.
Now, said he, 81 see plainly that il is all
a mistake TO hold school up there in that un-
comfortable building on the hill in such
weather as this, and so I'm going TO propose
that on all cold days this winter we shall
meet here on the pond and hold our classes;
in fact think we may as well begin now"
Without further ado the teacher pulled sup
ply of spoilers from his several capacious
pockets, and said, The first class in spelling
will take seats on this side"
Then it dawned upon the minds of the
boys that they had been fairly trapped, and
they nearly choked with inward laughter as
they went through with spelling arithmetic,
and reading, taking turns at keeping their
toes warm by the fire; and though big pick.
erel was doing his best to carry of one Of the
lines, none of them dared TO pull him up, for
Mr.. Chalker looked like a very severe and
dignifed pedagogue indeed, and Ben could
scarcely realize that he had seen him tum-
bled head over heels into a snow drift but a
couple of hours before.
When he thought that the real lesson of
the day had been well impressed upon the
scholars, Mr.. Chalker dismissed his school,
and as he landed the last fish, and strung
him through the gills with the others upon
a willow twig, he chuckled to himself 'I
don't know who's had the most fun to-day,
the boys or the master, but I'll venture to
say they'll be on hand, cold or no cold, after
this "-Adrper's Young People.