Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-10-19
A RED MIrTEy.

1t was in the afternoon of clear,
sharp January day OF 1861, and the
company numbered fully two hundred;
there were men end women, boys and
girls flying and circing about in masses,
sipgly, by dozens, and by twos and
threes, over the frozen surface of the
beautiful Silver Lake, in Rockdale, q
suburb of the hourishing city of B.
New England is dotted with these
small bodies of water, and it is astound-
ing to account what surprising number
bear the name of Silver. And 30 on
Silver Lake this goodly company was
disporting itself with all the gayety and
zest the keen, bracing air and exhiler-
ating sport combined to produce.
Among the crowd were many lads
and lasses who imagined they were
fond of skating, and came to Silver
Lake for no other reason. 1t was sing
ular, too. TO note how much more
gracefully the"outward roll" backward
and forward, can be accomplished by
joining hands or being linked together
by walking stick. These sticks in
some instances proved no non-conduc-
tors to the sympathetic thrill that pre-
vaded the magnets Of either end.
The positive and negative conditions
we're fully realized in the case of
brawny John Horton and rosy checked
Abbie Latham, the daughter of the
Squire. She, with her plump, comely
figure, and fresh, handsome face, lit up
by pair Of laughing blue eyes, could
have led nkwsrd jain, on or on skates,
anywhere, with an apron string or
thread for conductor. Not SO with
John. He could lead her nowhere
and the more the girl could balk or tan
talize him the more she seemed to en-
Joy the skating and his company.
Many ludiorous figure he cut, and
many an awkward fall he endured by
her sudden and .unaccountable turns
and shitings, and her mirth and elee
were at the highest at Johns repeated
failures to follow her difficult and tor
tuous windings. John was overgrown
and massive, his twenty years of ex-
istance not having yet served to pro
perly knit together and round out the
proportions of his frame. She was
1.-the and quick, and AS graceful AZ she
was skillful in the use OF skates.
Apart from the throng this afternoon
John espied little red mitten lying
on the ice, where it had been dropped
by some one Of the numerous children.
Miss Abbie saw il, too, and rs John, by
one of his graceful movements, essayed
to stoop and capture the article, she
refused to release his hand; but, just
AZ he bent forward, she gave a wicked
pull, and John unbalanced, WAS sent
sprawling rod or two beyond. a
peal of silvery Laughter was her sympa-
ihetic comment, as, with n graceful
curve, she turned and caught the tiny
thing in her hand.
John blushed at his awkwardness,
and held up his hand to receive the
mitten.
But the csptor only held it before
him and gently moved away.
won't you give it to meY" he asked
II will find the owner"
81 can find the owner more easily
than you. | can't trust you; you would
fall and crush the poor thing in trying
to deliver l. And she saucily laughed
again.
"You made mo fall, - said John in q
grieved tone. You are always doing
these things. If | skated more and
studied less I'd soon be "a much ~
adept as your friend Joe Staples, whom
you are always praising."
"You? Ha, ha, hal AS graceful Ii:
Joe Staplesl" and the hilsrity of ths
young maiden made John Horizons
sluggish blood course through his veins
Till his face WAS as red ss the scarle
kerchief that encircled hi. neck.
All the rest of that afternoon Johr
was gloomy and silent. He moved
around mechani cslly, or rather auto
matically, and his companion con
oluded to serve no more tricky upor
him.
The sport finished, the two wendet
heir way to the house of Mr.. Latham
Johns fair companion failing to Tally
him into anything ike conversation
He answered her only in monosylls
bles, and SCENE morose and preoccu
pied.
AS he was about to take hid leave
John said seriously, and little ssrcas
tically, 'Abbie, Pm going back to col
lege tomorrow, and | hope you viii
enjoy the rest of the skating season
in compsnionship more graceful than
mine"
81 hope | shall, - replied she in the
same tone. You must feel bad about
something; perhaps it's the mitten
you had better take it; no. not now
won't give it up. If ever think enough
of you to surrender it, I'll send it &c
you by express
And then she smiled on John, with
rare sweetness, but John had seen thai