Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-02-10

Molly stood at the door OF the farm
house and watched the boys MS they poll
ished up their siaten Fred had new
skatos which Uncle Frank hRd given him
for Christmas present and the bag In
which he was carefully putting them had
been made by his mother that very day,
Qnstead OF making doll's dress Tor
Nelly. II was n cold, clear afternoon;
the snow lay thick on tho ground, but
the slky was blue ana the soft clouds
which croHsed Its surface were soft and
white. The air had almcut n sunny kiss
81 sprins In II "a spite Of Its crisp cold
Nelly sighed. She was slender little
girl CT II and she looked even younger
wrapped up us she was, In u red shawl
which wac folded around her face. letting
two or throe golden curls escape
u wish could no. she sighed. looking
obviously at the boys,
Fred looked up quickly. well, you
can't" he said.
Il don't SEQ why. IT'S a lovely day and
not hit too windy, even II a have been
sick with cold"
"oh, II isn't the cold" said Fred.
''l'hon why can't she conner asked
Jack, Freds friend, who was mcndlng q
strap In HIS skate
with girls"
'well. I'm only ono Girl and / won't
bother" said Nelly.
You can't come You would be slow.
and You would tumble down, and We
would have to watch you, and we fell
lows want 10 have fun; you can't no.
you're only u GIRL and"
stop teasing the boys. Nelly" raid
voice from tho houFe. Erred does not want
you TO 20 with him. YOU can go down and
ask Cynthia Miller 10 come up TO have
supper with you Instead"
AN right mother" and little Nelly
moved away from the door. II won't
bother the boys any more. but / guess !
don't want company
With laughter and shouts tho three boys
started on, swinging down the road, their
voices ccholng In the clear air. Nelly
wondered why she longed TO accompany
them more today than she ever had be-
fore. She hurrledly put on her worgted
cap, which her mother called Little Red
Riding Hood" and clipping on her coat
and warm mitteng, took her sled from
tho yard and walked down the road to-
wards the lake
The boys were having glorious sport.
Fred, who was very fine skater FOR
boy OF 49, was showing his friends how
70 make the figure s and how to draw
grape vine with all It's twigs and tendrlls.
He was in the midst OF one OF these olab-
crate figures, sliding backwards Mt live
~ rate. when there was a horrlnod cry
from the boys, and u resoundlng crack.
and Ia another second Fred mad gone
down through the broken ice into the Icy
water The boys rushed 10 the opening
In time 10 catch him by the collar ns he
came up. They lay flat ON the ice, 30 IA
10 not lose their balance. and held on to
f'redE arms with q dehth-lllSe grip. I'm
try and hold him, Harry, while you skate
ashore for log or some one-anythlng,"
Rasped jack as he clutchcd Fred'a arm
and made desperate attempt to pull
him out. Every motion and struggle OF
poor F'rad's broke the ice around him
and he could simply moan; he felt the
cold creeping into his very bones. and
thought OF how awful II was TO lie out
here, caught In the Ice, under the blue
sky. within sight OF his home. and he had
not kissed his mother good-by, or Nelly
poor little Nellyl
Harry had started for the shore. The
minute he had gonc Jack regretted H.
Frod's entire weight was too much for
him. and In another moment they would
both be struggling In tho water. He
called "IIali come back. quiclr'