truly and so well.

One morning Jessie awoke, and was surprised to see the lawn, the trees,
and the fences all white with snow. It was a beautiful sight. She had
never seen snow in the country before. Having dressed herself, she ran
down-stairs, and going to the piazza, clapped her hands, and cried:

"Oh, how pretty those evergreens look! That pine-tree is perfectly
beautiful!"

"Ah, Jessie, is that you?" said Guy, as he came round the winding path,
plunging through the soft snow with his thick boots, and dragging his sled
after him.

"Yes, I'm here," replied Jessie. "But where have _you_ been with your sled
before breakfast?"

"Been coasting, to be sure. There's a capital place in the lane that runs
past Carrie Sherwood's cottage. We couldn't do much this morning but tread
down the snow; but after breakfast, it will be fine. Will you go with me
then, Jessie?"

"I should like to, ever so much, but--"

"But what?"

"Well, I must work all the morning. That's my rule, you know. I'll go with
you in the afternoon, Guy."

"I don't want to tempt you to neglect a duty," replied Guy, knocking the
snow off his boots against the step of the piazza, as he spoke, "but
really, I'm afraid the coasting won't be worth the heel of an old shoe, by
the afternoon. You see, the sun is very bright, and the snow isn't apt to
stay long, so early in the season."

"I'm sorry," said Jessie, looking very downcast, "but I must give it up, I
guess. You see, I've finished uncle's slippers, and have almost done his
watch-pocket. I want to finish it ever so much before Thanksgiving, which
is to-morrow, you know."

"That's right, stick to it, Sister Jessie! I won't train in the little
wizard's company, so I advise you to lose this coasting treat, if the snow
does go, and thereby gain a victory for which Corporal Try would promote
you if he knew it."

With these words, Guy kissed his sister, placed his sled in the back-hall,
and went to the breakfast-room, to which he was shortly followed by
Jessie.

At breakfast, the boys discussed the question of the weather, and the snow
very earnestly. They wanted the snow to last, first, that they might enjoy
the sport of coasting, and then, that they might have a sleigh ride.

"How I should like a sleigh-ride," exclaimed Jessie, with brightening
eyes.

"Guess you won't have it just yet," said Hugh. "The sun will melt the snow
from the roads before noon, I guess, and its too light and loose for go