The Grenada gazette., 1888-03-24

brought back to me, but the recollec
ton of scene in which the tune o
Coronation played most importan
part. 1t was not the atonement that
thought of, but how the singing Of tn,
hymn had just heard once saved my
lie and the lives of others who wer,
dear to me.
1t was-l do not remember the pre-
else year-but it was when Twas about
seventeen years old and was living in
the New England village where l was
born and from which l had hardly evel
been away. 1t was pleasant old
town, built in colonial days, and which
contained few inhabitants who were
not descended from the early Puritan
settlers. Ii was situated as most New
England towns are. among the hills,
and was on the eastern side of lake
some two miles long and about mile
wide. That lake--or pond, as we
called it-furnished most of the pleas
ure for the people in the village.
There we swan. tished and boated in
the summer, and, when the cold of
winter had made solid the surface of
its pure water, there we skatcd till the
fall Of the unwelcome snow. On the
east side there was a succession of
green fields and orchards. while most
of the western shore was lined by q
primevai forest of pine trees, Only
one clearing had been made among
those old cone bearing trees. and that
was a recent one and embraced but n
few acres. The great trunks of the
trees had been hauled to ship-build-
ing town on the kennebec for spars
for vessels. while the branches had
been piled in heaps among the huge
rocks that occupied most of the
ground. i.
1t was the day before Thanksgiving,
the only holiday that New England
knows much about. and about which
the rest Of the world knows so very lit
tie, For three nights before the cold
had been very severe for the time of
year. and the newly-formed ice was as
smooth aud clear as looking-glass.
The Portland stage and the extra car
'iages that accompanied it had brought
n most of the persons who We're en-
oected tc join in the family reunions.
Brave boys came from the stores OF
Boston and the saw-mills Of Oldtown.
Brave girls, beautiful in the devotion
hey showed to the families they were
ut home. came from the
'otton-mills at Lowell and Manchester.
Houses where plain food had been
erred for many week were now
stocked with luxuries. for tomorrow
vas Thanksgiving, 1.-THE gladdest. mer-
lest day Of all the year.
What were we to do on that day be-
ides 90 to church and eat the feast |
hat had been so long in preparationp |
'uch was the question asked by my |
trong, earnest, older friend, who had
ONE down from Boston to spend
hank sgiying "Skatc, of course" |
nswered. But why not try the ice
o-night" he asked. could see no
eason, and SO we went down to the
hore of the pond, fastened on our
kntos. and flew, as it were. over the
lassy surface to the cove, where the
lies of resinous boughs stood. Once
here, we conceived the idea of skating
ack to the village, collecting the
oung men and women. boys and girls,
aking suitable provisions for picnic,
lacing them all in sleighs and on
eds, drawing them over to this place,
nd eating supper on the rocks,
mid the glare of the burning tree
)ps.
We were not long in carrying out
nr plans, for almost every house had
5 sleigh and skaters, and the persons
ho were destitute of either were
iken care Of by their ncighbors. In
n hour the little lake was in posses
on of the merriest skating party it had
yer known. And then the supper, the
Ontires, the songs and the merrv-
taking. Even now shudder to think
such boisterous sport with impcnd-
lg death so very near. The sport
as over at length, the apples and
incc pies eaten, the cider drank,
le songs sung, the stories told, and
he once great flames among the resin
Is pine needles were now smnldnring
nong the larger limbs or lingering in
lie stumps and roots. 1t was cleacly
me to 60, and the company was ar
Inging itself in little groups as it had
)ne when il came over
"Iic all the slcighs and sleds to-
'ther, my strong friend shouted, rs ,
stood upon a rock among the
ngering flames. The order from the
adcr was soon obeyed. The little
.hicles were arranged from ten TO
'enty feet apart, according to the
myth of the ropes or leading lines
at we had, and three or four skaters
ere stationed between them. Then
70 much longer ropes were stretched
either side, of which some twenty ,
atcrs took hold. With shout and 4 ,
hoop. such as Indians give when :
shing into battle, we started on the i
Q. The line. first straight, or waver-