Oscar / The Boy Who Had His Own Way

retty fair sleighing for a few days, and to afford good coasting for the boys on the hill-sides.

f tripping up foot passengers, or getting under the heels of the horses, or being tapped on the shoulder by a policeman, wh

lue, and varnished. Upon the sides, in gilt letters, was its name-CLIPPER; and upon its top it bore the initial of Oscar's name, with an ornamental device. It had what a sailor would call a decidedly rakish look, and was really

ion of juveniles and sleds it is, too. There comes a chubby, red-faced lad, with his exact counterpart, on a smaller scale, clinging on behind him with one hand, and swinging his cap with the other. Their sled is called the "Post-Boy," and it seems to "carry the males" very expeditiously. Close at their heels is a pale, poetic youth, lightly skimming over the inclined plane upon a delicate craft that looks like himself, and which he calls the "Mystery." Here comes a rude, unpainted sled, with two rough but merry youngsters lying prone upon it, one over the other, and their heels working up and down in the air in a most lively manner. Anon goes by an aristocratic-looking craft, bearing upon it a sleek and well-dressed boy, whose appearance speaks of wealth, indulgence, and ease. His sled is ap

m. The "Clipper" being lightly loaded, the other sled descended with greater impetus; and the force of the collision, together with a vigorous kick from the stout boots of one of the boys, overturned Ralph upon the steepest part of the hill. He quickly picked himself up, and, forgetful of self, his first care was to see wheth

ts, when Ralph was overturned, satisfied him that he had been run down purposely. He did not know the names of the boys, having only met them

t in our way,"

enough for you to go by, but you steered out

per-snapper," answered the boy "or I 'll

ipper;" "I should n't care anything about it, but the sled is n't mine. I

t will be scratched worse than that, before the winter 's over. If you g

and told him what had befallen the beautiful sled. Oscar was very angry when he heard the story, but he generously acquitted his brother of all blame in the matter, and declared that he would pay back the boy who had thus taken advantage of his weakness. He knew t

the Common, he fell in with the boy who run into his brother. Keeping his eye upon him until he could catch him a little aside from the oth

my little brother, when he was co

the two, and his antagonist soon gave up the contest, but not until he had been pretty roughly handled. Other boys soon came flocking around, to whom Oscar explained the cause of the assault; but his antagonist denied a

preferred that locality, because of its greater extent. Tiger usually accompanied him in his skating excursions, and seemed to enjoy the sport as much as his master did. It was amusing to see him try to make a short turn, in running upon the ice

ot surprising that he was terribly frightened. His piteous cries brought Oscar to his relief, who could not help laughing at the sorry plight in which he found his half-drowned canine friend. He was floundering and paddling about in the water, now lifting himself almost out, upon the edge of the ice, and now slipping off again, and plumping over-head in the uncomfortable element; his intelli

rs. Preston felt some anxiety, not knowing but that both Oscar and the dog had broken through the ice. But his arrival dispelled all fears, and his account of Tiger's misfortune served to amuse the children for the rest

what they are for," exclaimed Ralph, as the children and their

to catch skaters, I

gs," ad

hat they are for, Ali

than we can; and a pond or river frozen over solid, without any air-holes, would be as bad for them as a room from which all fresh air was shut out would

air-holes made?

ver them. The fish often finish the process by jumping up through the ice before it has entirely melted. When the cold is very intense, and these springs have frozen up, some of the water is abs

enough to skaters. Jim Anderson skated right into one the other day, and came pretty n

arked Mrs. Preston. "I felt so uneasy, that I was just g

e to remain upon the shore, and look on; and when he did venture to accompany his master, he kept close by his side, and travelled ove

e roofs of the long blocks of houses; while the blinds, windows, doors and balustrades were heavily trimmed with the same delicate material. The huge banks which stretched themselves along the street and sidewalk, were as yet undisturbed; for the few passers-by had been glad to pick their way through the valleys. The wind roared and piped among the chimneys and house-tops, and whisked through narrow passage-ways, and whistled thr

ts, one and another would measure his full length in some deep drift, which for a moment almost buried him from sight. Tiger, who accompanied them, entered fully into the sport, and very good-naturedly received his share

on, who was just leaving for the store, "I wa

e storm is n't over yet, and if I make

you can shovel it easily, but if you leave it till noon, it maybe trodden down hard. You need not clean off the

ath for awhile. Although he only undertook to cut a narrow passage-way through the drift in front of the house, he worked with so little spirit, that when the time came for him to get ready for school, he had not half complete

idewalk within a given number of hours. After school, Oscar thought no more of his path, but went off with Alfred Walton, and did not go home until dinner-time. He had but little ti

in some places. He was not the boy to hurt himself with hard labor, and although he kept his shovel at work in a leisurely way, he did not accomplish much, except t

Besides, if I should shovel it all off, there will be an avalanche from the top of the house to-night, that will

d better speak to your father about it, when he comes home, and perhaps he will help you, or hire somebody

was said about it. The next morning, he chopped away upon the ice a little while, but getting tired of it, he soon abandoned the job, and w

shovel the snow from the sidewalk,

"but it was trodden down so h

e-way, yesterday morning. That would have saved the rest from getting trod down,

did n't have time to finish it, and when I got hom

rape. I have had to go before the Police Court, this forenoon, and pay a fine and costs, amounting to over five dollars, for your negligence and disobedience. And now," he added, "you may try once more, and see if you can do as I tell you to. As soon at you ha

and he had ample time to complete the task, although it was time which he intended to spend in a different w