This talk with her uncle did Jessie good. She afterwards bore Madge's outbreaks of temper with more patience, and tried to set her such an example as would make her feel her own faults far more than by scolding or fretting.
Madge, who was very quick-witted, saw and felt the change in Jessie, and she, too, tried to overcome herself, that she might not grieve a friend, who loved her so truly and so well.
One morning Jessie awoke, and was surprised to see the lawn, the trees, and the fences all white with snow. It was a beautiful sight. She had never seen snow in the country before. Having dressed herself, she ran down-stairs, and going to the piazza, clapped her hands, and cried:
"Oh, how pretty those evergreens look! That pine-tree is perfectly beautiful!"
"Ah, Jessie, is that you?" said Guy, as he came round the winding path, plunging through the soft snow with his thick boots, and dragging his sled after him.
"Yes, I'm here," replied Jessie. "But where have _you_ been with your sled before breakfast?"
"Been coasting, to be sure. There's a capital place in the lane that runs past Carrie Sherwood's cottage. We couldn't do much this morning but tread down the snow; but after breakfast, it will be fine. Will you go with me then, Jessie?"
"Well, I must work all the morning. That's my rule, you know. I'll go with you in the afternoon, Guy."
"I don't want to tempt you to neglect a duty," replied Guy, knocking the snow off his boots against the step of the piazza, as he spoke, "but really, I'm afraid the coasting won't be worth the heel of an old shoe, by the afternoon. You see, the sun is very bright, and the snow isn't apt to stay long, so early in the season."
"I'm sorry," said Jessie, looking very downcast, "but I must give it up, I guess. You see, I've finished uncle's slippers, and have almost done his watch-pocket. I want to finish it ever so much before Thanksgiving, which is to-morrow, you know."
"That's right, stick to it, Sister Jessie! I won't train in the little wizard's company, so I advise you to lose this coasting treat, if the snow does go, and thereby gain a victory for which Corporal Try would promote you if he knew it."
With these words, Guy kissed his sister, placed his sled in the back-hall, and went to the breakfast-room, to which he was shortly followed by Jessie.