Don't you wish that was frosted cake ?" "O, the snow came in the night, so not to wake us up," cried Prudy, clapping her hands; "but it wouldn't have waked us, you know, even in the night, for it came so still." "But why don't the clouds go off ?" she added, sadly.
"I don't know," replied Susy; "perhaps they are waiting till the sun comes and smiles them away." Such happy children as these were, as they sat peeping out of the window at the dull gray sky! They did not know that a great mischief was begun that morning--a mischief which was no larger yet than "a midge's wing." They were watching the clouds for a snow storm; but they never dreamed of such things as clouds of _trouble_, which grow darker and darker, and which even the beautiful Christmas sun cannot "smile away.".