the horse was brought round, and May and her parents climbed into the sleigh,
the robes were drawn snugly around them, and they started off. On the road
to Grandpa’s they must cross quite a river, but as the ice was frozen hard and
teams were crossing, there was no danger there. Old Charlie went along rath-
er slowly, but he bid fair to get them to Grandpa’s before noon. When they
reached the river, they plainly saw that the horse was very tired. He seemed
scarcely able to walk, but as it was only a few miles further, they urged him on,
when he slipped on the ice and fell, as we see him in the picture. They all got
out. May and her mamma stood looking at him, while papa cut the harness
and tried to get him up, but it was no use. Poor Old Charlie could never draw
another sleigh.

What to do papa did not know. There was no house in sight.. The day
had grown cold, and he could not leave May and her mamma there, so they left
poor Old Charlie and sleigh and started off on foot. After walking nearly a
mile they came to a house. May’s papa went in and told the good old farmer
who lived there that his horse had been taken sick and had died on the ice, and
that he was anxious to get to Mr. Brown’sas early as possible. The old farmer
said: ‘Well, well, well, this is too bad. But you can take one of my horses
and send it back to-morrow.” So papa and the farmer went back to the sleigh,
where they found everything safe. They took the harness off poor Old Charlie,
then cut a large hole in the ice, dragged him there, and buried him in the water.
Then they hitched the farmer's horse to the sleigh and went on. When they
teached the farmer’s house May and her mamma got in, and they all went on
to Grandpa’s. They reached there without any further accident, but May’s
New Year was a sad one, because she loved Old Charlie so.