Come!" continued he, patting him encouragingly on the back, "cheer up! You are going to a delightful place, where you will find a number of agreeable playmates, and have a deal of fun, and enjoy yourself amazingly." "But it won't be _home_," replied Clarence.
"True," replied Mr.Balch, a little touched, "it won't seem so at first; but you'll soon like it, I'll guarantee that." Clarence was not permitted to indulge his grief to any great extent, for Mr.Balch soon succeeded in interesting him in the various objects that they passed on the way.
On the evening of the next day they arrived at their destination, and Clarence alighted from the cars, cold, fatigued, and spiritless.

There had been a heavy fall of snow a few days previous, and the town of Sudbury, which was built upon the hill-side, shone white and sparkling in the clear winter moonlight.
It was the first time that Clarence had ever seen the ground covered with snow, and he could not restrain his admiration at the novel spectacle it presented to him.

"Oh, look!--oh, do look! Mr.Balch," he exclaimed, "how beautifully white it looks; it seems as if the town was built of salt." It was indeed a pretty sight.

Near them stood a clump of fantastic-shaped trees, their gnarled limbs covered with snow, and brilliant with the countless icicles that glistened like precious stones in the bright light that was reflected upon them from the windows of the station.

A little farther on, between them and the town, flowed a small stream, the waters of which were dimpling and sparkling in the moonlight.