King Winter, The Polar Regions, Cloud-dom.
Then she called her messenger, Autumn Wind, and sent him northward with
her message. King Winter was seated on his throne at the back of the
North Wind, planning his coming work in Earthdom, when Autumn Wind
arrived with the letter.
"Deary me! deary me!" said the king, "has Jack Frost gone to bother
Mother Nature? I meant he should wait for me this year. But something
must be done. Ho! Snowflake, come here, and bring your sisters and
brothers with you."
In a few moments a troop of dainty beings clothed in white came dancing
along. "What do you wish, Father Winter?" they asked.
"Mother Nature has need of you, my helpers," replied the king. "You
must, stop the next passing cloud, and go down to Earthdom, and cover up
the babies. Jack is there, and they are freezing."
Just then a golden-edged cloud floated by, and the snowflakes huddled
together on it and were soon travelling earthward. The sun was setting
as they passed the western gate of the city, and the cloud was tinged
with red and gold. By and by it began to grow dark, and the little cloud
grew larger and larger, and before long the night came. In the morning
the little children of Earthdom were surprised to see a white covering
over the land.
"See the snow, the beautiful snow" they cried; and the sleds were
brought out, and such a merry time as they had playing in the white
drifts! But I wonder if any of them knew what the snow really came for,
and how glad dear Mother Nature was because her babies were sleeping
safe and warm under the downy snowflake blankets.