50 THE CINDERELLA FROCK.

wished the mud were ten times deeper, and
the rain drops, pailfuls. Huzza, they liked
it. Plash, plash ; away they went, through
that puddle by the gate, backwards and for-
wards, one after another,—bravo! if any one
would know what real fun is, let him chance
along by a school-house yard of a rainy morn-
ing. All were in their seats, however, on
the stroke of nine, and the scripture verses
were read, and the prayer said just as usual.

But after all settled into the old routine, it
began to be found that the clouds in the sky
affected all indoors. Alice never could have
believed that little girls who could laugh and
sing so sweetly, could make themselves so
disagreeable. But so it was. Lizzie Hale,
that good, whole-hearted Lizzie Hale, who
was so kind and good-humored, was seen
pouting her lips, and looking as though there