Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1920-04-23
HORACE MADE GOOD
BY MABEL E. BRIoHTMAN.

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the schoolroom. "All here and ready,
but Sally Hicks and she is always
late" spoke a chorus of voices, that
surrounded the little country school
room stove.
Sally was a bright-eyed little girl
Of sixteen, with cheeks like roses and
hair that fell on her shoulders in gold
en- curls. Her drive to school each
morning was far from short, but Sally
felt she wanted to go and must go
home and put on her new brown coat
and knitted red cap, that her aunt
Johanna had sent her for her birthday
the day before. Paul Rice, the young
est trustee of the school was going
and she must look her very best.
"What is the matter and the hurry,
my dearT spoke Sally's mother, look
ing over her spectacles, as Sally rush
ed into the kitchen. "Oh, nothing
much, mother, only Horace has invited
me to ride in that horrid looking
sleigh. 1 just hate old-fashion sleighs
and old-fashion people anyway" splut
tered Sally, but them suppose !
will have to 60, as he has been SO good
to father since his Illness"
Two o'clock came and Horace drew
up in front Of Sally's door, well pro-
tected from the winters cold by his
red scarf securely wrapped around his
head, and his fine looking sleigh, as
he supposed.
"Ready, Sally" shouted Horace in
hoarse voice, from the sleigh,
The drive to the little red school
seemed long to Sally, as her thoughts
were all on seeing Paul Rice, the sleigh
ride, the lovely supper at Nancy
Blake's and not on the question that
Horace had asked.
Well-and just then Sally, jumping
from the sleigh, forgot to even thank
Horace, but he was soon tucked In and
on his way home.
"Where have you been the last hour,
Sally Hicks?" shouted a voice from
the corner, 1--WE want to get started"
Sally was cold after her long drive
and stood by the stove warming her
little white hands, first looking at
Paul, who stood nearby polishing his
fingenails, and thinking of the boy
who had brought her safely there
and gone.
"Well, don't care anyway" she
thought to herself, II never did like
old-fashion people and never will"
Safe to say Horace was the object
of her thoughts, and offender in COM
parison with Paul, the highly-polIshed
gentleman, who stood by the stove.
I'VE must get started now, boys and
girls"
Paul helped Sally on with her coat
and assisted her to the sleigh and they
were soon cuddled together in the cor
ner of the hay-bOttom sleigh chatting
and laughing.
After the toasts at Nancy's class
supper the boys one by one told of
some great adventure in their lives
and Paul's tales Of his life of adven-
lures held little Sally awestruck, while
the others were amused.
THE storm is growing worse, we
must get started"
Paul calling Sally to one side whis-
pered in her ear in gentle voice, 1--WE
will go back in Mr.. Blake's new red
sleigh, it will be much safer and be-
sides, Sally, it looks a lot nicer"
They had only gone a short distance
and they came to the turn in the road
when the horse jumped, and Paul be-
came angry and dashed the horse, the
binding drift Of the new fallen snow
and the angry lashes of Paul fright
ened the horse, the sleigh overturned,
and poor Sally lay helpless by the side
of the road.
Hasn't Sally come yet" Horace ex-
claimed as he walked into the cozy sit
ting room of Mrs. Hicks home Jack
and all the rest have arrived"
ut is a bad night and I think it
right for me to follow the broken road
to Nancy Blake's," Horace said, in a
deep voice.
In a short time Mrs. Hicks had
Horace well supplied with coats and
shawls and started over the road to
Nancy Blake's.
"Git up, DObbin, we must meet Sal
ly," Horace exclaimed to his faithful
old white horse. The sleigh glided
over the 1eece-like snow and Horace
had gone six miles when a terrible
sight confronted him as he came to
turn in the road. There lay the girl
Of his dreams unconscious in the
snow.
"Sally, Sally, can't you speak7" And
picking her up in his arms he placed
her gently beside him in the old-fash-
Toned sleigh.
The cold sharp wind of the winters
night brought Sally to consciousness
and as she looked up into Horace's
honest blue eyes she placed her tiny
white arms around his neck and ex-
claimed, "You are the true hero of nv