Winter Fun

heir arrival at the farmhouse, had been that the reason why Corr

, "we'll have to go. It's too bad, b

er the picnic, word came to the farmhouse

not till you know more'n that there teacher does; and

d a part, were upset completely by the teacher's recovery; bu

inning-wheel and the kitchen, and a dozen kinds of knitting to learn, and there were many good books in the house. It looked a little blue to Porter at first, but he faced it manfully. He determined not to spend a

ram that took a dislike to him, and was strongly dispose

ve and be cared for in winter as well as in summer; and Susi

uncle. There was likely to be more snow, the latter said, and he wanted to do all the chopping and hauling he could before the roads should be blocked

ld be on hand to help him load the sleigh. The rest of the time, he c

s, and once Port actually fired both barr

e brought them in. "You'll be a sport

as Port when Corry and Vosh came home. They were not even to have Satu

was young; and Vosh Stebbins went out to the barn, and sat in

d about, except while the minister was preaching, was "the donation." She was not at all sure but what

e, "tell me just what it is. I've heard about

ion: that's all. It's a kind of a picnic at the minister's house. Everybody comes, an

we al

ou'll see. It's the n

and aunt Judith seemed to be cooking for that "donation" as if there we

in't any kind of a pervider. No, nor his wife ain't either. It wo

nton Valley sent over such stores of "goodies" as went to the mi

er contribution into his cutter for transportation, "but Sarah Farnham

Evans; and she said to Vosh, "You needn't mind ab

Susie Hudson, as she stood at the gate, tell

sleigh with the rest, but you and I'll

ere was any thing Susie was fast

. Some of the good people have far to come and go, and some of them have heavy loa

the village, with an immense barn behind it; and it looked, for all the wor

d it was a good thing for them that she was so nearly right.

y a long line of teams hitched at the roadside in front of the house,

part of his annual donation. Load after load had come in and been stowed away, after a f

untry where wood was to be had almost for the chopping. His wood-pile was a sig

ined it all

ay and wood. You say he

se, and while Mrs. Farnham and Susie were ta

. "You come right

ly half full of tables of all sorts and sizes, and these were covered

e evening, Corry. Will Elder Evans's folks l

is out here. He's one of

t's

es were trying to get at the cook-stove all at the same time; and half as many more were helping Vosh Ste

heard him say, as he and Corry entered t

l woman standing near him; "but t

fteen bushels of turnips, twenty of potatoes; one

driven in with ano

as sent more buckwheat flour'n they can use

uskrat-

gs of b

ies. Jemimy! What'll he do with so many tallow-di

nd Porter began to understand how a "way

fter that, "let's go for our supper

ll tha

you'l

, the minister's mother-in-law, if they ever had any dancing at donation-parties. She told Port

child! Sak

enough, and then they all listened pretty attentively while a quartet sang some glees. By that time, however, Vosh Stebbins had returned from the kitchen with his list all made up, and ready for

noisy enough for the country boys and girls, and in due time were set aside like the music. There were forfeits of several kinds, anagrams,

eemed to be every bit as hungry a crowd as ever around the tables in

ndertone, "I've seen that oldest Be

d thing the

way's just got here with two whole deer

as he responded, "Deer, eh? Well

self exceedingly,

e way you do. They ain't half so much afraid

d of m

city girl. They ain'

at, and he added

ather face a wildcat, any day, than

sort of explanation to her of some thi

e a look at Sile Hathaway's deer. One's a

e a h

living, any day. But he's about the best

ublic respect, but he walked on without a word m

e antlered buck, and it made Porter Huds

get 'em, Sile

ink Lake; jest whar the split comes i

get 'em to

a pole-drag right thar. I had two more deer to fetch i

sort of man, with keen gray eye

ole-drag?"

ngs, and make a kind of sled of 'em. It won't last long, bu

armer, but he half made up his mind to be a hunter while he was feeling of that buck's

set out for their homes, and it was well understood that not even the village people and near neighbors would stay later than ten

king-up time drew near; and she was compelled to inform no less than three of them in succession,

young men when he was turning away to hunt for another girl, but she bette

l times longer than that by which Deacon Farnham had driven his big sleigh. The snowy track was everywhere in fine condition; the sorrel colt was in the best of spirits; the b

e older people, Mrs. Stebbins included, were in a good state of mind over the

the buffalo-robes, "is there any thing up

gh: they say we're to have a big s

t's

le school-district joins ours, only it's bigger, and there's more of 'em. We're to spell against 'em. I

sie and

right to count in anybody th

then. I l

n't set yet. They were talking it over to-night. We'll have

-house?

full, too, galleries and all. Everybody c

coming a country-boy very fast, and that he already had a stron

of course she'll go. S