The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-15
HER SNOW
MAN
BY CLARISSA MACKE
tCopyright.)

Il simply can't stay indoors" de
clared Alicia with her straigh. little
nose pressed against the window pane
IT'S. too tempting out there!"
1t was an alluring world outside the
dignified walls of the Preble mansion
The heavily crusted snow sparkled
like carpet of brilliants beneath the
silver magic of the full moon. Inside
the Preble grounds the dark tree
trunks made black splashes against
the brightness. but beyond the iron
fence there stretched rolling field OF
scintillating whiteness. There had
been heavy snow fall followed by a
hard freeze. All day long the school
children had been coasting on the hill
next door to the Preble place. Alicia s
aunt, Miss Harriet Preble. had ex.
pressed pleasure when she heard that
the hill would be deserted that night
Emma. the cook, had announced
that the whole town were to partici-
pate in an ice carnival on Barker
mill pond.
I'm very glad indeed" said Miss
Harriet severely. 81 know I could not
sleep with that continual roar of de.
scending sleds rushing past my win
dows''
I'm rather sorry" admitted Alicia
timidly; 'it was. such fun to watch
them"
My dear Alicia, | am surprised you
could find amusement In anything so
Juvenile as coasting 1t is such mas
culine sport that | never was per
mitted to indulge in it."
A dimple came into Alicia's demure
cheek. A vision of stiff-necked Aunt
Harriet coasting down Preble hill al
most overcame her awe of the steel
bound maiden lady who had been her
guardian since her orphaned child
hood.
What are you smiling at. Alicia?"
asked Miss Preble sharply.
| Il was wondering If any of the
Prebles had ever coasted down that
hill, replied Alicia. her dancing eyes
fixed on her plate.
| of course your father did when he
was lad-his sled is up in the garnet
now. 1t was considered a very fast
one-your grandfather bought it In
New York" Miss Preble's face soft
ened wonderfully and then suffened
as she saw the eager interested look
In her niece's eyes. THAT was all very
we'll for boys. but l consider 1t ex-
ceedingly improper for females to in
dulge in such sport-and very wrong
to encourage it as you did this after
noon by waving your handkerchief
whenever those girls led in the races
down the hill. | am going to bed at
once, Alicia as have a severe head
ache-no you can do nothing for me.
thank you. Be sure to go to bed at
ten o'clock"
| Good night. Aunt Harriet wish |
could do something to help your poor
head" said Alicia as she returned the
cold pecking kiss of her only relative
with pressure Of warm young lips.
| Miss Preble had retired to her room,
and If she had been any one but a
Preble of Little River one might have
said that she snored
Alicia was standing there by the
library window looking out into that
world Of white magic. The house was
very sull-the servants had obtained
leave to go to the ice carnival and
Alicia was practically alone.
81 simply can't stay indoors!" de-
| clared Alicia once more. and with that
| declaration all the old-fashioned rules
which had cramped her up-bringing
We're .rrevocably shattered. A hither-
| to unknown holiness took possession
of her
She flew up the thickly carpeted
| stairs, through the hall past Aunt
Harriets closed door and gained the
| attic stairway She shivered as a
little icy blast came down from the
cold space under the roof
Up in the attic it was almost as light
! as day. The dormer windows admitted
| the moonlight in floods that left only
the corners unilluminated She knew
| In which corner We're the playthings
that her father had owned when boy
| She had seen the sled once years ago.
/ but that was before this new spirit OF
|
In a few seconds she had 1t in her
eager hands and was carrying 1t down
| the steep stairs. 1t was heavy sled
brightly painted and bearing the name
Clipper" in gold letters on the top.
Presently Alicia stood out in the
front path with the little sled drag
ging behind her She had slipped into
a long warm coat and had drawn a
knitted cap over her bright hair and
red mittens on her little hands. A pair
of fur-lined boots completed the cos
tune she had donned for this daring
| expedition into the snowy world.
Alicia Preble was to break all pre-
cedent in the Preble family She was
the first female of the family TO in.
dulge in the masculine pastime of
! coasting down hill.
She gained the snow field next door
and found a promising hill that
sloped away from the Preble man.
sion. For an instant she poised on
the top of the hill. gazing out over the
bare white fields below; marveling al
the stiffness of the place Then she
sat down with her feet bracked
against the little iron bar, tucked in
her skirts well and few down the lev
hill
II was a breathless period of ex
uuisite fight through the frosty air
The walk to the top OF the hill was
nothing.