I eR eT SA EP Nee ie

a i i talc ne

THE FIRST SNOW.

THE ground was white with the first snow of the year. It
looked so soft and so white and so tempting that the boys,
as they tramped along the road to school, longed to pick
it up and play with it, but there was no time for that. There
was plenty of time, however, to talk about it, and to plan
what they would do with it in the dinner-hour. “There

is not enough to make a snow-man,” said Gilbert, who had

- tucked his hands into his pockets to keep them out of

mischief. ‘ But plenty for a snowball match,” said Charlie.
Then they settled how the boys were to divide into two
sides, and how each side should make a big pile of snowballs _
before the battle began. The sun, peeping through a cloud,
looked down at them and laughed. “Of course, our side
will win,” said Gilbert. “Of course,” said Charlie. But
they were no sooner in school than out came the sun.
He shone his warmest and his brightest, and when the 2
dinner-hour came nearly all the clean white snow had
disappeared, and the playground was wet and muddy.
“Never mind,” said Gilbert, “there will be some more

snow another day, and then we can have our battle.”