348 



RECREATION. 



18 inches of snow had fallen during 

 the night and it banked up in front 

 of the sled, so we had to abandon it. 

 Putting on our skis, we started up the 

 divide to learn, if possible, where we 

 were. We had gone only about a mile 

 when we discovered the village of 

 Alagary below us in a little valley. 

 A glad shout went up from the entire 

 crowd as we turned our faces toward 

 it. Then we flew down the side of the 



mountain for the hotel, where we knew 

 we should get warmth and rest. 



Arriving there, we found the land- 

 lord building a roaring fire, and that 

 with hot drinks quickly revived us ; 

 but several of the boys' feet were so 

 badly frost-bitten that they remem- 

 bered the trip for many weeks. The 

 next day we secured our provisions, 

 which were in no way injured by the 

 storm. 



POSSUMS GWINTER EAT MIGHTY GOOD. 



PLUMMER F. JONES. 



Ebenin', gent'mens, how y'all do ? 



I ain't got time fer to talk to you, 

 But I des want to put 't in de yeah o' y'all 



Dat possums gwinter eat mighty good dis fall. 



How I know ? Now, mens, I'm s'prise ; 



Ef y'all ain't seed it, den whar yo' eyes ? 

 When I looks tose de woods an' t'inks 'bout de fac', 



My eyes gits watry an' my lips dey smack. 



Dogwood saplin's des es red es fire ; 



Blackgum's blue, so's de bamboo brier ; 

 An' you know when berries 'duce lak dat 



'Tain' a possum dat trots what won't git fat. 



Pawpaw apples des a-droppin' in de creek ; 



An' de honeyshucks sweet enuff to make yo' mouf leak. 

 An' dese an' de coongrapes de possum say is his, 



An', Lawd, what a sight o' 'simmons dey is. 



An' 'taters, suh, 's long an' crooked lak yo' arm, 



Des made fer huggin' possums an' keepin' 'em warm; 



An' 'tis so many ob'm dey done shove out de vines — 

 An' now I wan' ax you : don't you call dem signs ? 



I hates ter go, gent'mens, 'deed I do 



But I ain't got time fer to talk to you ; 

 So I leaves a good word fer one an' all — 



Dat possums gwinter eat mighty good dis fall. 



