I know there are lots of people out there who are not the biggest fans of snow, especially after the latest nor’easter to pass through. However, who doesn’t enjoy a sleigh ride?!? In the Methodist newspaper The Wesleyan (Vol. LXI, No. 8) on February 21, 1906, there is a lovely description of a winter fun day for the children attending the Jost Methodist Mission, based in Halifax. If you can close your eyes and picture yourself on that sleigh ride, perhaps winter won’t seem quite that bad…at least for a day.
“A sleigh-drive for the children! What does it mean! The deaconesses had been planning that if enough snow came for sleighing, and on Saturday, that would all go out for a sleigh-drive, for some of the children had never had one. Well, we waited long but it came at last, snow enough for sleighing, and a beautiful day and a four-horse sleigh. The children were told in the morning that we were all going for a sleigh-drive in the afternoon. They could scarcely believe it. “Is it for us” they said “for us?” “Yes” said the deaconess “and we are all to meet here at 3 o’clock. Now don’t be late or you may get left,” but there was no need for this warning, for many of them were one whole hour early. The sleigh came at last and then came the packing, for the largest sleigh which could be procured was taxed to its utmost capacity to hold the number who were to go on this sleigh drive. And what a drive! Happy, grateful children made the air resound with laughter, how short the hour seemed, and then the surprise which awaited them on their return, hot coffee and biscuits. Their delight knew no bounds. Do you wonder that the deaconesses felt happy too, happy and thankful to God for using them in bringing joy to others, and thankful to the kind friends who, by by their gifts of money made it possible to have this sleigh drive.”