Part 17 (2/2)
The confidence of her father harmonized so ith the hopes of Faith, that it was easy to participate in it, nor in the excitee seem other than proper for the occasion
CHAPTER XV
See winter comes to rule the varied year, Sullen and sad with all his rising train Vapors and clouds and stor poet depicted truthfully, doubtless, as well as poetically, the English winter, but such is not the character of the season in New England Clouds and storms, indeed, herald his advent and attend his march; capricious too his huhter skies than his, whether the sun with rays of ht, sparkles o'er boundless fields of snow, or whether theher festal train of stars, listens to the lorified a land What though sometimes his trumpet sounds tremendous and frowns o'erspread his face!
Transient is his anger, and even then fro, to protect with fleecy covering the little seeds in hope entrusted to the earth, and to contribute to the mirth and sports of man
A few days have passed since the occurrences last detailed The weather had gradually becoround was as hard as a stone; there had been a heavy fall of snow, and the streets were musical with bells The snow had fallen before the intense cold coed the rivers and lakes was undimmed, and presented unusual attractions to the skaters
It was on the afternoon of a fine day that the smooth Severn, hardened into diamond, was covered, just where the Yaupaae and the Wootuppocut unite, to give it for of the people of the village of both sexes They wereprincipally of boys from school (for it was Saturday afternoon) with their sisters Besides these were so men and women, with here and there one aiety and exuberant enjoyment The children let loose from school, where they had been confined all the week, put no bounds to the loud and hilarious expression of their delight, which the seniors showed no disposition to check--re they once were children--and the banks of the streahter Here, flying round in graceful curves, a dexterous skater cut his na, and on the ringing steel pursuing the chase; while every once in a while doould tuinner, co into harder contact with the frozen ele stars in the daytihter and ironical invitations to try it again, greeted his hs or sleds, capable of holding two or three, whirled along by half-a-dozen skaters with great rapidity; while, holding on to handkerchiefs, were others drawn upon their feet at less hazardous speed Dispersed a the croere little boys with flat, tin boxes suspended by a strap fro molasses candy, whose brittle sweetness appeared to possess great attraction All was fun and jest, and laugh andothers, allured by the beauty of the day, which though clear was not so cold as to be unco and Anne Bernard, escorted by Pownal and young Bernard The cheeks of the ladies were crihter lustre than usual, and many were the looks of envy or of ad their acquaintances and joining in the revel
At the time when the little party arrived there happened to be a circle gathered around one of the most accomplished perfor could be raceful Without sensible effort, and as if by lossy surface, noards, now backwards, now sideways, noiftly, nohirling like an eagle in rapid or dilatory curves, describing all the lines that Euclid ever drew or i such initials of the nah hailed with very general expressions of adive universal satisfaction
”He does pretty well,” said an elderly man, with a woollen scarf or muffler about his neck and a fox-skin cap on his head, ”He does it pretty well; but, Captain, did you ever see Sam Allen?”
”You mean,” answered the person addressed, as a man of about the sahter, and afterwards run away Yes; it didn't go with him as slick with her as on the ice”
”Well, she didn't break her heart about it She got in as soon as the law allowed I was in court when Judge Truranted the divorce 'Twas for three years willful desartion and total neglect of duty”
”No, I guess she didn't She was published the very next Lord's Day, and got hty pretty cretur Well, I never see such a skater as Sa at all to him He don't kind o' turn his letters so nice Now, there's that v, you ht mistake it for a w I like to see a man parfect in his business”
”I've hearn tell,” said the Captain, ”though I never see it myself, that Sam could write Jarman text as well as Rouess it's so There wasn't nothing Sam couldn't do on skates”
”Do you recollect whether he used smooth irons or hollow?” inquired the Captain
”Oh, sits the knack of 'ereat deal better”
Very different from the remarks of these _laudatores teeneration
”How beautiful!” exclairaceful?”
”It is, indeed, graceful,” said Faith; ”and it must require considerable boldness as well as skill to venture on some of those evolutions The least mistake would cause a violent fall”
”Dear Faith, why did youof the possibility of falls”
”Have no fear,” said Pownal; ”he is too completely master of the science to hurt himself”
”In Holland the ladies are said to skate as well as the gentlemen,”
said Bernard
”That is a poor compliment, William,” said Anne ”If I cannot skate better without practice, than half of this aard squad, I will never bind skates on my feet a second time”