nd nights the snow fell, covering all the ground for some
feet deep.

Never, in the memory of the people, had such a snowfall been seen in that
section. Yet it could scarcely be called a snowstorm, for there was no
wind, not a single whiff, and therefore, of course, no snowdrifts. The
snow fell slowly, evenly, steadily, dropping over the earth a soft, thick,
white mantle.

"We shall be all snowed up, and there's an end to our New Year's dance at
Oldfield," said Wynnette, as she stood at the front window of the little
parlor, on the third day of the snowfall, looking drearily out over the
white earth and powdering sky.

"It can't snow forever!" exclaimed Elva, who was seated at the center
table, playing "jacks" with hazelnuts.

"I believe it will snow forever! It looks like it. Just look out and see!
All the low fences are covered, and nothing but the tops of the high
fences can be seen, and the Scotch firs are so loaded down with snow I
should think the limbs would snap right off! And it is still snowing as
steadily as ever! It just reminds one of the snowbound traveler at the
'Holly Tree Inn,' when--'It snowed, and it snowed, and it snowed, and it
continued to snow, and it never ceased from snowing.' No, nor it never
will!" said Wynnette, flattening her nose against the cold window pane.

"Call this snow?" rather slightingly demanded the lady from Wild Cats', as
she sat in front of the wood fire, with her feet on the fender and her
skirts drawn up to toast her shins, while she was eating hazelnuts, of
which she had a lap full, and which she cracked with her strong, white
teeth. "Call this snow, indeed! You don't know what snow is! Hush, honeys!
You ought to see the Nevadas after a midwinter snowfall! Yes! where whole
trains of wagons are stopped and whole camps snowed up, until all hands
perish of cold and hunger. Don't tell me! You don't know nothin' about
snow here." And she stopped talking to put another nut between her teeth
and crack it.

"I wouldn't mind if it wasn't for the New Year's Eve party," said
Wynnette.

"Never mind, it will be clear to-morrow. You know we never do have more
than three days at a time of any sort of bad weather--wind, or rain, or
snow, or anything! I am sure it will clear off to-morrow," hopefully
suggested Elva, deftly throwing a "jack" into the air and snatching two
from the table in time to catch the falling one.

"I know it won't be clear to-morrow! Just look how it comes. I