THE SNOW-MEN.
The next day after the quarrel, my mother said that the children,
during recess at school, were going to make a "snow-man," and that they
would take me to school with them. At twelve they had their recess,
when Martha, not finding her scarf as usual, laid the loss of it to
Madge, and said, "You, Madge, what have you done with my scarf? bring
it here." "I have not done any thing with it," said Madge. "You lie,"
was the coarse and unladylike retort. At last Martha found her scarf,
hanging on her nail, with her cloak over it. When we got into the yard,
my mothers brushed away the snow from off a little place on the steps,
and set me down there to see the making of the snow-man. The manner of
making it was thus:--They each took a small snow-ball and rolled it in
the snow, over and over, and then they joined all together and made one
large ball. They then took a stick and made a couple of holes in the
ball for eyes, and made a straight mark, rather deep, for his mouth,
and then took a piece of snow and made it into a nose, as well as they
could, and fastened it on. Then they made another ball considerably
larger than the first, for his body, and put his head upon it. Legs and
arms were also fastened upon the body. When this was done, they all
gave three cheers, and went into the school-room.
When my mother got home, they thought that they would try and make a
snow-man, such as the boys had made in the school-yard.
They had got the head made, and were looking after a stick with which
to make the eyes and mouth, when down came the head upon Madge,
knocking her down to the ground, and covering her up with snow. As soon
as she had extricated herself, she let loose her tongue, and another
scene and storm of words followed after their usual manner. Such
frequent disputes as these made me regret more and more my previous
home, and long to make some change, which I thought must certainly be
for the better; but the time had not yet come.