Page 9 (1/2)

In the Horse-Barn he stopped just a ht, but calves were clumsy and aard compared with the slender, fine, quick colts Their nostrils fluttered when they breathed, their ears moved as swiftly as birds They tossed their heads with a flutter of s and little hoofs, and their eyes were full of spirit

“I’d like to help break a colt,” Almanzo ventured to say

“It’s a man’s job, son,” Father said “One little mistake’ll ruin a fine colt”

Almanzo did not say any more He went soberly into the house

It was strange to be eating all alone with Father and Mother They ate at the table in the kitchen, because there was no colitter of snow outside The floor and the tables were scrubbed bone white with lye and sand The tin saucepans glittered silver, and the copper pots gleaeraniums on the -sill were redder than Mother’s red dress

Al the big emptiness inside hi, Mother ju the dishes into the dishpan

“You fill the wood-box, Als you can do”

Alht before him, was a new handsled! He could hardly believe it was for him The calf-yoke was his birthday present He asked:

“Whose sled is that, Father? Is it—it isn’t for me?”

Mother laughed and Father twinkled his eyes and asked, “Do you know any other nine-year-old that wants it?”

It was a beautiful sled Father had ; the hickory runners had been soaked and bent into long, clean curves that seemed ready to fly Almanzo stroked the shiny-smooth wood It was polished so perfectly that he could not feel even the tops of the wooden pegs that held it together There was a bar between the runners, for his feet

“Get along with you!” Mother said, laughing “Take that sled outdoors where it belongs”

The cold stood steadily at forty below zero, but the sun was shining, and all afternoon Almanzo played with his sled Of course it would not slide in the soft, deep snow, but in the road the bobsled’s runners had made two sleek, hard tracks At the top of the hill, Al himself on it, and away he went

Only the track was curving and narrow, so sooner or later he spilled into the drifts End over end went the flying sled, and headlong went Alain

Several tihnuts and cookies Downstairs was still warm and empty Upstairs there was the thud-thud of Mother’s loo shuttle Almanzo opened the woodshed door and heard the slithery, soft sound of a shaving-knife, and the flap of a turned shingle