"Do your hands ache now, Susie?"
"No; but my feet do, and my face. Oh, I'm afraid we'll never get home!
a'n't you, Annie?"
"It's hard work to walk, and I can hardly stir one step;" when I turn my
back it seems as if I should fall right down. I do wish Mary would come
down to the field and open the gate! don't you?"
"Yes, I do; for my hands are just as stiff as they can be."
"There come father and mother, Annie; let's wait and ride," said Susie.
"We'd better go and open the gate. See! there comes Mary! A'n't you glad?"
"I can't stay for any thing; I shall run right to the fire! My feet are
freezing, almost," said Susie.
At that moment Mary came. She had been watching for the children, and as
soon as they came in sight she laid down the baby and ran to help them come
in the house. She set the gate wide open for the wagon, and then hurried
the girls in to the fire. Soon the parents came in.
"How glad we are to see you, children! We were almost afraid you would be
frozen. We tried to get home in time to take you in the wagon. Are not your
hands very cold?"
"Our feet are cold; our hands were, too, but they are not now."
"Not now?" said Mary, hastily drawing off Annie's mittens.
Alas! the little fingers were frozen! Susie's were in the same sad
condition. And now there was a brisk rubbing with snow, and the most
intense suffering as the slow-coming warmth returned to the purple hands.
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