And how busy Jack Frost was! No one saw him swing a hammer; no one heard him drive a nail: but, by the time morning had come, he had laid right across the ponds and the river a floor of ice smoother than any wooden floor ever put down by the joiners of Norridgewock.

All the boys were out sliding. Ed Peet had come from over the river; Fred Danforth was there from the tavern; and George Sawtelle came running up from the big house under the willow. Others were there too, slipping along on Jack Frost's floor.

Little Albert looked out of the window, and saw the boys at their play. Why couldn't he go out too?

"Shall I go, mother?" he asked.

"Your slippers are too thin, Albert."

"Oh! I can put on grandpa's boots."

"Yes, you can go, but be careful. You are too young for such rough sport."

Off scampered the eager feet, and on went the big boots. A smile must have lighted up the mother's eyes as she heard her little boy tramping over the floor in the heavy boots.

The boys were taking their turn at sliding. Away down at the end of the line stood Albert. They were sliding carefully, not running too hard; for a little way out the ice was thin. After a while, it was Albert's turn. "I'll beat those big, clumsy boys," he thought.

Taking a long run, driving ahead with all his force, he shouted, "Now see your grandpa go!" And, sure enough, grandpa's boots went and went, out where the ice was thin, and down went Albert into the water! The water was not deep, though. He was out again in a moment; and there he stood, cold and dripping like an icicle in a January thaw.

I can hear the boys laughing, and I seem to see the smile lighting up the mother's brown eyes still more merrily, when her little boy came home. Albert never forgot it. In after-years he would say, "Whenever I am inclined to show off, I think of grandpa's boots."

E. A. R.

WHAT JESSIE CORTRELL DID

Poor little Johnny Cortrell's eyes kept growing dimmer; and one day in May-time they failed altogether, and Jessie, his sister, led him home from school stone blind.

His father and mother were greatly distressed at this. Dr. James held a candle to the poor blind eyes; but they never blinked. He said he was not enough of an oculist to determine whether they could be cured; but there was a doctor in Boston—Dr. Williamson, 33 Blank Street—who would be able to pronounce with certainty.

Now, the Cortrells lived thirty-five miles away from Boston, and were quite poor. The father did not see how he could afford the expense of sending Johnny to Boston yet a while, but hoped to do it in the autumn.

Little Jessie overheard her parents talking on the subject, and made up her mind to try and see what she could do. She thought she could not wait three, four, or five months, to have Johnny cured: it ought to be done at once.

The next day she told her plan to Johnny, and they made their preparations; and one bright morning, when it was school-time, she and Johnny stole out of the house hand in hand, quite unnoticed by any one.

They met a little girl named Jane Anderson; and by her Jessie sent the following letter to her parents:—

Dear Father and Mother,—I didn't ask you, for fear you would say No; but Johnny and I are going to Boston to see Dr. Williamson. I heard all the reasons why you couldn't take Johnny till fall, and I couldn't wait. 'Twon't hurt us to walk this nice spring weather; and I don't think any one will refuse to give a poor blind boy and his sister a place to sleep, or a bowl of bread and milk to eat. We shall ask our road, and we won't get lost. Our Father in heaven will go with us all the way.

Mr. Cortrell was much alarmed. "I must start after them, wife," said he. "Those children on the road to Boston all alone! Jessie is crazy."

But Mrs. Cortrell said, "What if God put it into her heart, John?" And so they concluded to do nothing about it.

Well, the children walked and walked, and now and then they got a drive; and, on the third morning, Jessie led Johnny into Boston over the Brighton road.

They found Dr. Williamson. He received them kindly. He examined Johnny's eyes, and then said to Jessie, "I think there are nine chances in ten that I can cure your brother."

Jessie bounded with joy. The good doctor accommodated them in his own house while the cure was going on; and after not many days he sent the children home in the cars, and, as he left them, placed a sealed envelope in the hand of Jessie.

"My bill for your father: there is no haste about it," said he kindly; and then he bade them good-by.

The journey was a short one. Happy enough were the parents to see their dear children back again, and Johnny quite cured of his blindness.

Then Jessie handed her father the bill. "Whatever it is, I shall pay it cheerfully," said he. He opened it, and read,—

"For services rendered Johnny and Jessie Cortrell.

"Received payment in full,

"Charles Williamson."

So Johnny got his eyes again, and the doctor's bill was settled; and Jessie had done it all.1

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The Nursery, December 1873, Vol. XIV. No. 6

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GRANDPA'S BOOTS

WHAT JESSIE CORTRELL DID

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