fast as they fell; making everything wet
and chill, in the air and under the foot. Nettie had no overshoes; she
was accustomed to get her feet wet very often, so that was nothing new.
She hugged herself in her brown cloak, on which the beautiful snowflakes
rested white a moment and then melted away, gradually wetting the
covering of her arms and shoulders in a way that would reach through by
and by. Nettie thought little of it. What was she thinking of? She was
comforting herself with the thought of that strong and blessed Friend
who has promised to be always with his servants; and remembering his
promise--"they shall not be ashamed that wait for me." What did the snow
and the wet matter to Nettie? Yet she looked too much like a snow-flake
herself when she reached Mr. Jackson's store and went in. The white
frosting had lodged all round her old black silk hood and even edged the
shoulders of her brown cloak; and the white little face within looked
just as pure.

Mr. Jackson looked at her with more than usual attention; and when
Nettie asked him if he would let her have a shilling's worth of fine
white sugar and cinnamon, and trust her till the next week for the
money, he made not the slightest difficulty; but measured or weighed it
out for her directly, and even said he would trust her for more than
that. So Nettie thanked him, and went on to the less easy part of her
errand. Her heart began to beat a little bit now.

The feathery snowflakes fell thicker and made everything wetter than
ever; it was very raw and chill, and few people were abroad. Nettie went
on, past the little bakewoman's house, and past all the thickly built
part of the village. Then came houses more scattered; large handsome
houses with beautiful gardens and grounds and handsome garden palings
along the roadside. Past one or two of these, and then there was a space
of wild ground; and here Mr. Jackson was putting up a new house for
himself, and meant to have a fine place. The wild bushes grew in a thick
hedge along by the fence, but over the tops of them Nettie could see the
new timbers of the frame that the carpenters had been raising that day.
She went on till she came to an opening in the hedge and fence as well,
and then the new building was close before her. The men were at work
yet, finishing their day's business; the sound of hammering rung sharp
on all sides of the frame; some were up on ladders, some were below.
Nettie walked slowly up and th