Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-27
A RED MITTEN.

l6 was Gne aIIernoon VI SA0His sH"A
January day of 1861, and the compan.
numbered fully 200; there were men AM
women, boys and girls, flying and circlinl
about in masses, singly, by dozens, and b,
twos and threes, over the frozen surface o
the beautiful Silver Lake in Rockdale,
suburb of the fiourishing city of B
New England is dotted with these small
bodies of water, and it is astounding to re
count what surprising number bear thu
name of Silver. And so on Silver LAX
this goodly company was disporting itsel
with all the gayety and zsst the keen
bracing air and exhilarating sport combined
to produce.
Among the crowd were many lads an(
lasses who imagined they were fond o
skating, and came to Silver Lake for NJ
other reason. It was singular, too, to not'
how much more gracefully the "outwarC
roll" backward and forward, can be &C
compEshed by joining handso or being linked
together by a walking stick. These stick
in some instances proved no non-conduct
ors to the sympathetic thrill that pervadet
the magnets at either end.
The positive and negative conditions
were fully realized in the case of brawnJ
John Horton and rosy-cheeked Abbie La
than, the daughter of the Squire. She
with her plump, comedy figure, and fresh
handsome face, lit up by pair of laughing
blue eyes, could have led awkward John, OF
or off 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 and tanta
lie him the more she seemed to enjoy the
skating and his company. Many ludi'
crous figure ne cut, and many an awkward
fall he endured by her sudden and unac-
countable turns and shiftings, and hel
mirth and glee were at the highest at Johns
repeated failures to follow her difficult and
tortuous windings. John was overgrowr
and massive, his twenty years OF existenct
not having yet served to properly knit to-
gether and round out the proportions of his
frame. She was 1.-THE and quick, and al
graceful as she was skillful in the use Of
skates.
Apart from the throng this afternoon
John espied little red mltten lying on the
ice, where it had been dropped by some one
of the numerous children. Miss Abbie
saw it, too, and as John, by one OF his
graceful movements, essayed to stoop and
capture the article, she refused to release
his hand but, just as he bent forward, she
gave wicked pull, and John, unbalanced,
was sent sprawling a rod or two beyond. a
peal of silvery laughter was her sympa'
thetic comment, as, with graceful curve
she turned and caught the tiny thing in hel
hand.
John blushed at his awkwardness, ant
held out his hand to receive the mitten.
But the captor only held it before him,
and gently moved away.
"Won't you give it to me?' he asked.
"I will find the owner"
81 can find the owner more easily than
you. l can't trust you you would fall and
crush the poor thing in trying to deliver
it, And she saucily laughed again.
"You made me fall" said John in g
grieved tone. "You are always doing
these things. II I skated more and studied
less I'd soon be as much an adept as your
friend Joe Staples, whom you are always
prsising."
"You? Ha, ha, la AS graceful as Joe
Staples p and the hilsrity of the young
maiden made John Horizons sluggish blood
course through his veins till his face was a;
red as the scarlet kerehief that encircled
his neck.
All the rest Of that afternoon John wat
gloomy and silent. He moved around me-
chanically, or rather automatically, and hii
companion concluded to serve no more
tricks upon him.
The sport finished, the two wendell theil
way to the house of Mr.. Latham, john
fair companion failing to rally him intt
anything like conversation. He answered
her only in monosyllables, and seemed mo
rose and preoocupied.
As he was about to take his leave, JOIN
said seriously and little sarcaatically
"Abbie, I'm going back to college to-mor
row, and hope you viii enjoy the rest o
the skating season IN eompanionship more
graceful than mine"
81 hope 1 shall, replied she in the same
tone. You must feel bad about some
thing; perhaps it's the mitten you haC
better tske it no, not now-I won't Civ,
it up. If 1 ever think enough of you t,
surrender II, I'll send it to you by ex
press"
And then she smiled on John with rar'
sweetness, but john had seen that sniil
before, and felt she was only hooking him
So with a solemn good night he buttone'
his coat close TO his chin and with hand
resoluteiy thrust into his pockets, turned
homeward, resolved to waste no more tim
with skating girls, who judged young mel
by the dexterity they exhibited IN handing
their heels.
Among the earliest volunteer regiment
that LETT for the seat of war in the summe