a skillful movement he righted it
instantly. The friendly side preserved me from the snow; but Cousin
Jehoiakim--alas! for gravity on a gig-top. In this deep bank of snow,
his heels high in air, stood my inverted cousin. As soon as I could
speak from convulsive laughter, I implored Edgar to go back to my
cousin's assistance.

"As you please," said he. Now you must know that I was the only one
that treated Cousin Jehoiakim kindly. Sister Anna and Brother Dick
made a complete butt of him; the rest did not treat him at all, except
to an occasional shrug of the shoulder from Anna's lieutenant, or a
gay laugh from little Fanny. And, forsooth, because I was civil to
him, and talked to him, and excused his awkwardness, why Edgar saw
fit, in his wisdom, to be jealous of him. Was there ever any thing
more absurd? Yes, since time out of mind have men, the wisest and the
best of them, been just so absurd; and unto all eternity will they,
the wisest and best of them, be just so absurd again.

By the time we had reached again the spot, the others had come up, and
were engaged in disentombing the imbedded unfortunate.

"That was a cold bed, any how," said he, shaking himself from head to
foot like a huge Newfoundland dog, and smiling upon us with his
imperturbable good-nature; "but why, in the name of all that is good,
did you not help a feller out sooner? If it had been feathers instead
of snow, I should surely have been suffocated."

"Thank your stars for your safe deliverance," said the laughing Fanny.

"What were you thinking of, cousin?" said Anna, in a choking voice.

"I could think of nothing but the ten commandments; and I wondered
what sinful iniquity my grandfather had been guilty of, that I should
be visited in such an awful manner for his transgressions. But where
on earth is my hat? I have looked in the hole, and all about for it."

"Look on your neck, Hoiky; you are wearing it for a stock," said my
brother.

"By gracious! so I am."

I brushed the snow from his shoulders and hair, and assisted his long
neck from its cumbrous stock, and pinning on the crown-piece, the hat
was quite wearable again.

"Mr. Johnson will ride much more comfortably in one of the
double-seated sleighs," said Edgar.

"Most certainly, Mr. Elliott," replied Cousin Jehoiakim, "you know I
begged you to let me out the first sleigh we met. I reckon you _did_
let me out to some purpose at last. By jimminy! but that was a cool
dip. Wall, C