The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-17
HER SNOW
MAN
By CLARISSA MACKIE


AAil4N NS4 say lAdOOlo, NC
clared Alicia with her straight little
nose pressed against the window pane
Its 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 sp!ashes against
the brightness, but beyond the iron
fence there stretched a rolling field OF
scintillating wilderness. There had
been heavy snow fall followed by
hard freeze. All day long the school
children had been coastirg on the Hill
next door to the Preble place, Alicia $
aunt, Miss Harriet Prebe. had eX-
press ed pleasure when she heard that
the hill would be deserted that night
Emma, the cook, had announced
that the whole town were TO partici-
mill pond
I'm very glad indeed" said Miss
Harriet severely. Il know | could not
sleep with that continual roar OF de-
scending sleds rushing past my win
dows."
I'm rather sorry" admitted Alicia
timidly; ut was such fun to watch
them"
MY dear Alicia. am surprised you
could find amusement In anything so
Juvenile as coasting. 1t is such a mas
culine sport that | never was per-
mftted to indulge in It,"
dimple came into Alicia's demure
cheek. A vision of stiffnecked 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 Il was considered very fast
one-your grandfather bought it In
New York" Miss Preble's face soft.
ened wonderfully and then stiffened
as she saw the eager intere, ted look
In her niece's eyes. That was all very
we'll for boys. but I consider II ex-
ceedingly improper for females to in
dulge in such sport-and very wrong
to encourage 1t 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
Preble of Little River one might have
said that she snoted.
Alicia was standing there by the
library window looking out into that
world Of white magic. The house was
very still-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
were !rrevocably shattered. A hither-
to unknown holiness took possession
of her.
She flew up the thickly carpeted
stairs. through the hall past Aunt
Harriet's closed door and gained the
attic stairway. She shivered as
little icy blast came down from the
cold space under the roof.
Up in the attic 1t 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 were the playthinss
that her father had owned when boy
She had seen the sled once years ago,
but that was before this new spirit OF
youth had taken hold of her
In few seconds she had II in her
eager hands and was carrying It down
the steep stairs. 1t was a 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
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; marvelipe at
the stiffness Of the place Then she
sat down with her feet bracked
against the little iron bar. tucked ia
her skirts well and few down the lev
hill
Ii was a breathless period OF ex
quisite flight through the frosty air.
The walk to the top of the hill was