The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-04-27
Suowfl ikea and Sunbea ms.

Way up in the air, high above the tall
highest houses there was great COM
motion among the Snowflakes.
You must know that for ages there
had been war between the Snowhakes
and the Sunbeams to see which should
rule the earth.
For ages the Snowflake army, assisted
by the North Wind, had held it's own for
season, and then Spring had called the
Sunbeams and the South Wind, and had
put the Snowflakcs to flight.
They we'll knew this, for it had been
handed down year by year, but each gen
Grafton of Snowtlakes, unhceding the ex-
pericnce of their elders, felt sure of vic
tory, and had donned their white uni
forms, bucklcd on their sharp little
Wind, made a desperate assault upon
the earth.
And this was the time of their annual
struggle. For weeks, indeed, nearly all
winter, they had held their own. Not
for many years had they felt so sure
they had outwitted the Sunbeams, and
grown bold by their seeming success, had
heapcd great mounds over the earth.
Every time new regiments left the
Cloudland, they worked to cover the
Earth so deep with their cold white crys-
tails that 10 Sunbeams, however we'll
planned their attacks, could penetrate
their strongholds.
Suddenly the North Wind left them.
The gray clouds hung low, and for a
short time helped them to keep out the
Sun King and to hold their own. The
Snowtlakes knew not that the Sun King
grew stronger and crept higher each day,
but such was the fact; and after Il sharp
struggle with the clouds, he worked his
way to the front,-such a glorious, shin
ing king, with his golden army of Sun
beams, that he struck terror to the
| hearts of the poor little Snowflakes Who
could withstand him?
| He fairly daZzled their eyes, and feel
in4s lest Iitho,,t the whistle 4 !
Wind and his bowls of encouragement
| they crowded closely together on the
housetops, in the fields, and in the
mounds they had built.
On he came,-a great Shining Pres
ence.. smiling on the earth, for he was
! not the cruel kind they thought him, but
| the great friend of the People.
| 1T was then the Snowflakes heard the
People say to one another: "Spring is
really coming! How welcome the Sun
| beams are! If only the Sun King will
continue to shine and conquer the Snow
flakes, we can soon pillow the earth and
| live i'll the open air!'' And these were
the people whom they had counted Their
friends! Had not the Great People
praised them often, when they had come
softly in the night, covering the rough
places? Had not the Little People shout
Cd with glee as they sped over the beau
tiful mounds they had heaped about the
fields? And now the People wished then
away! The Little Flakes lay still. anc
| felt their hearts melt within them. Hark
What was that? The South Wind!
| Those stationed on the rooftops wer,
first to feel his presence, and knew tina
in him the Sun King has his most pow
erful ally; and they remembered VIVA
their fathers had said-that no living ar
my of Snowflakes could long withstand
him. With great throbs of despair the!
felt the deadly blast; and great drops raj
from the housetops to the Streets alley
and lanes, carrying the message to thei
! friends.
| Springs folerunnerS followed apace af
ter the Sun and South Wind; and, will
a despairing sigh, the Flakes started il
retreat. on, on. faster and faster! TIL
gray clouds which had been unable TO
long to resist the great Sun King, she,
tears as they looked on: and these tears
fallen to the earth, helped to form
means Of retreat for the Snowtlakes
They ran to the spring, then on to tn
rivers, and still further to the great seas
The People saw them rushing by, AM
heard them as they fell over the rocks
and-dOwn!