August Coasting

ie was on tno atternoon 01 tne vory warmest dayin August thatthc children carne running to me crying: "ïhere are some boys and girls f rom the village out on the hill, and some from the hotol on the niountain, and they all have brought their sleds." It seemed such a puzzle to me that I rose and weut out to see what was going on. When I reached the spacious balcony I was almost convinced that the whole Talley had been bewitched. There were gathered at leat twenty children and half a dozen sleds. The boys were dragging the sleds up the steep slope of the hill side that rose from the road in front of the house, while the girls followed alter as well as they could. It was not bv any means an easy feat to clirab this slope. Though at a casual glanco it seemed as soft and velvety as a well-kept lawn, it was to tho unwary a delusion and a snaro. The midsummer sun shines down upon the Adiroudack mountains with as much ardor as on the city gtreets. Though the nights are cool, (reqaently even cold. thero are no dews, and usually but little rain. So the short thiek grass that grows abundantly upon the des of Üw. lesscr mountains, or, more ptoperly spcaking, the foothills, becoraes somewhat parched and smooth, and as slippery as ice. The children, thon. had before them quite an amount of hard walking, but tliose children were like niountain-goats, hardy, willing, and able to climb anything. I watched them with interest. At last the top was reached. Then, the sleds were turned upside down, and the runners were rubbed vigorously with cantiles; this completad, the sleds were put in proper position again, three children soated themselvos upon each, and a gontle push started them down the slope. How swiftly they came! The slope was steep but smooth; nota rook, stump or stone on its surface; there was no danger. and the slods stopped on the sandy road. For two long hours this colony of children oOMtea - till the grass was ply of tallow (which is indispensable for this midsummer coasting) was exhausted. After all the little ones were weary, we older people joined in tho fun. I own to having mado the dcscent but once - that was quite enough for me. I never before had heard of this novel amusement; but, startling as it seemed at first, the novclty soon wore away, and I bocame quite aocustomed to the sicht ftiwi sounds of coastinar in