Year: 1873

IL WdS-1 uOH GT6mellDer the precise
year-but it was when was about
seventeen years old, and when lived
in New England village where
was born, and from which l had
hardly ever been away.


1t was the day before Thanksgiv-
ing, the only holiday that New Eng
land knows much about, and about
which the rest Of the world knows SO
very little. For three nights before,
the cold had been very severe for the
time Of the year, and the newly formed
ice on the pond was as smooth and
clear as looking glass. What were
we all to do the next day, ''the glad
dest, merriest day" of all the year,
besides go to church and eat the feast
that had been SO long. in preparation
That was the question asked by my
strong, earnest, older friend who had
come from Boston to spend Thanks
giving.


"Skate, of course" answered.


"But why not Try the ice tonight? :"
he asked.


/ could see no reason, and SO we
bound on our skates and flew, as it
We're, over the CLASSY surface Of the
pond to the cove, about which were
the piles Of pine tree boughs. Once
there, we conceived the idea of how
grand it would be to skate back to
the village; collect together the
women and girls, take suitable pro-
visions for a picnic, place them all ir
sleighs and on hand sleds, draw them
to. this place, and eat a supper on
these rocks, amid the glare of the
burning treetops. We were not long
in carrying out our plans, for almost
every house had its sleighs and skates,
and those that were destitute of either
united with some of their neighbors.
An hour and the little lake was COW
cred by the merriest skating party
that it had ever witnessed. And then
the supper, the bonfire, the songs, the
merry making! shudder to think Of
such boisterous sport, with the i'm
pending death SO very near! The
sport was over at length, the apples
eaten, the cider drank, the songs
sunk, the stories told, and the once
great flames among the resinons pine
needles were now snouldering among
the limbs or lingering in the stumps
and roots. 1t was nearly time to go.
And so the company was breaking up
into little knots us we came. I
cite all the sleighs and sleds to-
gether,' my strong friend shouted,
the last to leave the spot. The order
from our leader was soon obeyed.
Each little vehicle was ranged from
ten to twenty feet apart, according
to the length Of the ropes or leading
lines which we had, and three OF four
skaters were stationed between them:
Then, two much longer ropes were
stretched from either side of the long
lines, Of which some twenty more
skaters took hold. With Il shout and
whoop, such as Indians give when
rushing to battle, we started on the
ice. The line, first straight or waving
a little where the poor skaters we're,
soon took the form of a crescent /;
and, with a clamor of voices and the
grating OF skating irons, we sped over
the ice.


My strong friend and | were soon
on one of the side ropes, and we held
the nearest to the sleighs. We had
not proceeded far before I perceived
that the ice was bending up in front
of us, and / could plainly hear it
| crack above the noise of the skaters.
l spoke not word, but looked in
silently into my companion's face.
only thought that, so long as we kept
| in motion as we were then doing, we
might pass the terrible danger. But
| knew very well if the true state ot
affairs was discovered, a panic would
spread along the line, some skater
would drop out, and then the sleighs
and their precious burdens must sink
| to the bottom.


/ can not forget the horror Of that
moment-a moment that seemed al
age. l was faint myself, but | only
| shuddered lest some skater should
fall | could not speak for fear, but
| almost feared lest the other voices
should stop and the cracking OF the
ice should be heard by the women
who would be sure to scream. My
| l1lUunHLS NCIC Ou UOO, uIJ OyCS WIN
fixed on the face of my friend. l was
fairly drawn along up the curvine
ice, that seemed to rise higher before
/ us every moment. Cold sweat was
on my forehead, but I could moi
loosen my hand from the rope to wipe
it off. My friend noticed that | was
lagging-I, who was SO expert ;
skater. His eyes caught mine, ant
by that sort of intuitive Language
that we sometimes have in time o
great dangers, he became aware o
our dreadful situation, heard thu
cracking Of the ice, and saw it, fel
it rising in front of us.


What did the strong man do? Fle'
like Il coward from the dangers h
had brought us and escape to th'
land? Did the alarm seize him thl
bad overpowered me? Far otherwise
Raising his voice so that it could b.
heard above the din of the skater ant
the merry voices Of the women, h


shouted: