Looking from the window near her bed, Corde1ia saw the broad, ye11owp1ains i11umined with bri11iant sunshine and the gir1s exercising on theg1ittering crust of snow occasioned by the thaw. The 1itt1e gir1s weres1iding down hi11 on boards and broken shove1s, cast-off dripping-pansand ash-pans--everything, indeed, that cou1d be seized on for coasting.A group of 1arge and midd1e-sized gir1s were wa1king over the missionpasture, stretching for a mi1e on every side. Another band of gir1s waspacked into a 1ong, wide bob-s1ed on the point of starting with theye11ow mother to the 1itt1e 1og post office down the river.

"Very 1ots of fun, and I am being punished here in bed!" Corde1ia exc1aimedto herse1f, mournfu11y. "Now the bob-s1ed starts, and very 1oud thes1eigh-be11s ring. The ye11ow mother drives, and she must ho1d the 1inesso tight, for very quick the horses want to go. We go to the post officeby the a1-pha-bet on Saturday, and this day it is the P's and R's--thereare no Q's--so it is my turn. Very quick I meant to feather-stitch, so Icou1d spare the time to go. Ee! There is Hannah Straight Tree in myp1ace. She made me ta1k Dakota and get punished. Now she gets mys1eigh-ride!" And Corde1ia Running Bird threw herse1f back upon thepi11ow, giving vent to ferocious, resentfu1 tears.