, 1890-12-25
6HE X
UuusED
X SlED.
-
Written for tho Christmas REVIEW by
Anna NJ pnrtur

ioolhNepS IN the nall ana succession OF
giggles that would have done credit to
the "Ihree Little Maids From School -
and ere | had time to collect my sleepy
senses, my door was burst open and |
was taken prisoner in my own castle by
three stalwart, rosy checked bright
eyed young rascals, aged respectively O.
8, and 10 years.
with jamie seated on my chest, Ted
dy iniictlng warlike hugs on my neck,
and Richard holding fast the hands that
had thrown up in n mute but vain ap-
peal for mercy, | Immediately foresaw
that resistance was useless, and prepared
to surrender as gracefully rs my limited
capacity for breath would allow
"Oh, papa papa papaV shouted the
trio. Don't you know that II showed
ever and ever so much last night, and
we wan. our sleds2 DO, dear papa, do
get up and get them for u.s.
How much is ever and ovcrso much,
Teddy?' queried | as intelligibly rs
could for the sudden compression OF my
windpipe."
"oh two, three, four feet,' he replied,
his eyes gaining in circumference with
each additional foot.
mo, papa; 'tisn't quite that much"
said jamie. Guess 1t isn't more than
two feet any way, but it's awful deep"
1.-TWO feet of snow why, had no
idea that 1t showed all night long, as 1t
must have done If the snow Is two feet
deep" | said guiltily conceallng the
fact that when l was up Mt 3 o'clock
TO faston loose shutter there was not a
H,.Lsa ,.r - 10. l..
"Whnt do you think about Jamie's
two feet of snow, Richard, my boy"
This question was addressed to tho
grave-eyed, senior member of the band
of marauders, whose superior Judgment
led me to depend more largely on his
veracity than on that of the others.
well, papa" was the careful answer,
| don't think there are hardly two ieet
of snow. Maybe there isn't more than
half foot, but there is enough to give
us good fun with our sleds If you'll II only
please get them for us.
Wen see. Now scatter" and away
thev scampered out into the hall anil
down the stairs like q herd oi wild
horses.
Yes, sure enough, there was snow on
certainly not more. However, ii Was
not difficult for me to recall tho time
when even less than three inches of
snow could fill my young soul with u
degree OF ecstasy unknown TO II in later
years.
Ii did not take the YOUNGSTERS very
long to cat their breakfasts. Their
mother declared that they had NOT eaten
half enoU III, and they manitilly en-.
Ipu vnrpl In swnllpW ana mora muffin
just to please her, but 1t was evidently
very hard work. and | curtailed my own
appetite. whose ordinarily keen edges
seemed somewhat blunted by the sight
OF the snow.
took down the key, and, preceded by
three mittened, capped and ovcrcoated
young rogues, went out to the tool
upon the advent OF warm days in the
spring. When | unlocked the
door the merr,mcnt Of the
boys subsided, and they quietly
followed me in. There hung their sleds
in the order of the ages OF their owners.
The first was Richards, with his name
painted on It in bold characters. Al
though somewhat marred it was bright
and clean, and showed careful usage.
Next to it was Jaluic's. The colors were
not so bright on his as on Richards $,
a md there were surface Indications that
the owners boot heels contained nails.
A sharp observer might also trace evil
dences prophetic of an early dissolution
of partnership between the runner and
the shoe, and the namo without doubt
had seen its best days; but on the whole
1t was fairly we'll preserved.
The next WAS Ted's. One glance ut
that was sufficient, Foot-wOrn, hope
lessly shabby, bearing unmistakeable
proofs that the skill 9th carpenter had
been taxed to prevent its entire dissolu-
ton, there it hung with u rakIsh,
10 the uninitiated behoIder 1t would
require no little amount oi
ingenuity to docipher the name " hich
at first had shone with such res olcndent
luster on its inir surface. Portion OF a
"I'' still were visible, and the remains
OF a "G' might be traced, but beyond
that ones endeavors would be lost In
hopeless confusion OF bits of gilt.
And last in the row hung dainty |
little sled bright and new, without
stain or flaw TO mar its beauty. There
was no difficulty in reading that name. |
In clear, wcll,deiined artistic letters it
stooi--"Bobbe.'
There. boys, you may take your sleds !
and go" They silently gathered up /
the little sleds, and casting a sorrowiul |
glance at the one hanging on the wall,
ior which there was no demand, with u
loving wistiui look at me, they noise
lcssly filed out and IT WAS u long time
before their young voices rung with their
accustomed cheerfulncss.
| took Bobbie's sled down and after
carefully dusting 1t, placed 1t on the
floor beside me. No-l must take II in
my arms. 1t still bears too much OF its
precious owners personality for me to
regulate 1t to a place on the tloor beside
saws, CIiscls, planes aud other mani
mate objects.
Shall | ever forget the advent of that
little sled into our home? 1t was only
OH Christmas OF last year. There had
been general demand by my family OF
four rugged, healthy, happy boys that
old Santa Claus should supply each one
OF them with n new sled, and the de-
mand supplemented by the condition
that each sled should bear its owners
name III gilt.
"Why, Bobbie," said !, taking my
youngest on my knee, after the united
request had been made, what wall you
do with u sled? You are only papa's
baby yet, and old Santa won't think you
are large enough to go out coasung with
the other boys this winter. 1 guess he
will think You had better wait until next
year Christmas,'
A shadow dnrkened the sweet, ba by
eyes that looked SO trustingiy into
mine, but IL remained there only n
moment, for the active baby mind and
the active baby faith soon grasped the
solution to the problem.
mo, no, papa, me tant wait so long;
me will des pray weenty -teenty
prayer to bod an tell him how okkle
bad BobOie wants n sled dis very lis
mas, long 18th the older boys; an nell
des tel him to tell Old Santa Tos dat
me is bid 'nough now TO have u sled,
dis very Tismas. Dod'll tell him,