~Chapter 15~
A Sleigh Ride
A few weeks had passed by with Louis found hard at work, as well as Mr. Beamer, and Mrs. Beamer in arranging the Christmas Eve sleigh ride. All of Louis's and Charlie's friends said they would come this year. Janie Parker wanted to be there to show off a new dress her mom had sewn for her. Mildred, Tessie, and Jay were making plans to be there, Cindy and Becky were invited, and were going to help, by baking a few pies with Mrs. Beamer.
Oh, and of course Hot-Tamale Molly was going to be there.
Molly more than anyone thought a sleigh ride was a great idea. On the hayride a few months back, she had wanted to give Louis a "big kiss" on the cheek but Louis fell asleep in the front of the wagon, while leaning against Mr. Beamer's shoulder. At the county fair, she was looking for Louis to give her a kiss at her kissing-booth, but he couldn't be found anywhere. Then lastly, Louis was with Chug and the Mayor all day long at the "big celebration" in Mr. Beamer's barn.
She only got that one little kiss, and that was it. She just could never get him alone, not for one minute to talk about her true feelings for him.
On the sleigh ride she would be sure to talk with him, and be sure to give him that one "big kiss" right on the check, and she didn't care if anyone saw her or not. Molly always thought Louis liked her, thinking she was clever and fun, but he was just too shy to show her, she just knew it.
The town now was deep into the Christmas spirit as they do every year around this time, but this year seemed all the more festive because of the events that had taken place in the last few months.
Decorative Christmas lights and wreaths could now be seen hung on hearths in everyone's home, on outside wooden picket fences, on their barns and gaslight poles all over the city. There was the smell of fresh baked cookies, apple and pumpkin pies, sugar cookies, and brownies in the air. All were busy, getting ready for the joy that Christmas, would soon bring to them all.
Louis had been busy making Christmas wreaths out of pine branches for the past two weeks for Charlie's sleigh, on the front porch of Mr. Beamer's house. He also had climbed up into his attic and rummaged around in some old boxes, and crates, until he found those old beautiful red ribbons that his mom had made a few years back. He found some old jingle bells that his father had used on past sleigh rides, when he was younger.
The time had just flown by for young Louis, because Christmas was just about here.
Charlie the Great White Horse and the Story of the Magic Jingle Bells Page 16