CHAPTER IX.
WINTER SPORTS.
It was now mid-winter, and a few inches of snow lay upon the frozen ground, sufficient to make pretty fair sleighing for a few days, and to afford good coasting for the boys on the hill-sides.

The favorite place for this amusement, among the boys in Oscar's neighborhood, was the Common.

Here they always found good, long, smooth coasting-places, when there was any snow on the ground; and there was no danger of tripping up foot passengers, or getting under the heels of the horses, or being tapped on the shoulder by a policeman, which often happened to boys who coasted down the steep streets of the city,--a practice, by the way, prohibited by a city law.
Oscar had a handsome new sled, which was a new year's present from his father.

It was long and narrow, the two steel-shod runners projecting forward far beyond the top or seat, and ending in sharp points.

It was painted light blue, and varnished.