The Skating Party and Other Stories. Unknown

p>The Skating Party and Other Stories

      THE SKATING PARTY

      One cold winter’s morning, Willie’s mother promised to take him to see the skaters on the river. Willie was in great glee, and when they arrived at the river, he wanted to go on the ice but his mother was afraid to venture. The river was frozen very hard, and the merry skaters seemed almost to fly, they went so fast over the glib ice. Now and then one of them would fall down, causing a burst of laughter from the others; but he would jump up and go it again. Skating is a pleasant and healthful exercise, but sometimes dangerous, for should the ice break many would probably be drowned. Little boys should be careful how they venture, and not go near air holes.

      THE ARREST

      As Harry Somers and his father were one day walking along the street, they saw a policeman leading a poor ragged little boy, who seemed very much frightened. Mr. Somers asked the policeman, what he had been doing. The man told him, that the little boy had been caught in the act of stealing cakes and apples, from the stand of a poor woman. Mr. Somers told Harry, that it was very likely that miserable boy had drunken parents who encouraged him to lie and steal, and that when he grew up, he would be likely to turn out a bad man, and cautioned Harry not to keep bad company.

      THE SOLDIERS

      Hark! What noise is that? I surely heard a drum. Look there is a company of boys dressed up like soldiers. One playing the fife, another the drum, while at the side of the company, stands a boy, with his drawn sword over his shoulder, for all the world like a captain. And then there is another, with the flag flying, as proudly as if he was in reality bearing the colors of a real troop. Well, boys will be boys. And this little company, have had their minds filled with brave thoughts from infancy perhaps. It may be, that in that little company of boy-soldiers, there is one whose name will be yet heard of in the history of his country.

      THE DEPOT

      Here is a picture of a rail-road depot, and passengers awaiting the arrival of the cars. There are many very handsome depots in the United States furnished with every thing that will afford comfort for travellers. The cars too are sometimes very beautiful. Accidents very often happen on rail-roads, and lives are often lost by the the carelessness of those having charge of the locomotive. They go very fast; indeed so fast, that you cannot see the houses, or trees along the road.