The next day after the quarrel, my mother said that the children, during recess at school, were going to make a "snow-man," and that they would take me to school with them. At twelve they had their recess, when Martha, not finding her scarf as usual, laid the loss of it to Madge, and said, "You, Madge, what have you done with my scarf? bring it here." "I have not done any thing with it," said Madge. "You lie," was the coarse and unladylike retort. At last Martha found her scarf, hanging on her nail, with her cloak over it. When we got into the yard, my mothers brushed away the snow from off a little place on the steps, and set me down there to see the making of the snow-man. The manner of making it was thus:—They each took a small snow-ball and rolled it in the snow, over and over, and then they joined all together and made one large ball. They then took a stick and made a couple of holes in the ball for eyes, and made a straight mark, rather deep, for his mouth, and then took a piece of snow and made it into a nose, as well as they could, and fastened it on. Then they made another ball considerably larger than the first, for his body, and put his head upon it. Legs and arms were also fastened upon the body. When this was done, they all gave three cheers, and went into the school-room.
When my mother got home, they thought that they would try and make a snow-man, such as the boys had made in the school-yard.
They had got the head made, and were looking after a stick with which to make the eyes and mouth, when down came the head upon Madge, knocking her down to the ground, and covering her up with snow. As soon as she had extricated herself, she let loose her tongue, and another scene and storm of words followed after their usual manner. Such frequent disputes as these made me regret more and more my previous home, and long to make some change, which I thought must certainly be for the better; but the time had not yet come.