PEEP AT OUR NEIGHBORS. 147

the same number of planets and stars of
the first magnitude—so I should think—
and made something like the same pro-
gress in the mysteries of the skating art.

While my companion was thus en-
gaged, we saw a colored boy, who lived
at my father’s, coming toward the pond,
running at the very top of his speed—
‘‘ full tilt,’ as we boys had it—and what
was more to the point, he had a pair of
skates in his hand. Yes, a pair of skates!
There was absolutely no mistake about
it. How strange !

As soon as the little fellow could get
breath enough to'speak, he told us that
the skates were presented to Master