this for the good of our world! What riches are bestowed upon us by showers!"

66

THE RAIN CLOUD.

Spring showers are very pretty," said Henry. "I like to see them come creeping on across the downs, so softly and gradually. You may stand

you

and watch them come nearer and nearer; and may see the drops dancing on the pond at your feet almost before you feel anything of the rain it is so very gentle !"

;

"And yet, if you were long exposed to these gentle rains, you would find them penetrate your clothing, and wet you very completely. It is because these showers are so gentle, and yet penetrating, that they are often made the type of spiritual blessings in the Bible. Do not forget, Mary, that I have some texts to show you presently on the subject.'

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Henry remarked how different these spring showers were from thunder showers, where the drops, as they begin to fall on the pavement, sometimes look as large as half-crowns. His father told him that there is a great variety in rain, as to its appearance, and as to the quantity which falls in different parts of the earth. He said that our heaviest rains give but very little idea of the immense rains in tropical countries; where there is a regular rainy season, lasting from four to six months of the year, and forming the only winter known in those hot regions; while, on the other hand, in some parts of Arabia, and in Egypt, and

.

in the great desert of Africa, rain seldom or never falls.

"The people who have no winter except their rainy season, cannot know any thing about snow storms, and frozen rivers," said Henry.

"Then the little boys," said Robert, 66 can never play at snow-balls, nor slide on the ice. I should like to have one of them here in a snow storm. How surprised he would look!"

"The little boy would naturally ask you what snow is; could you tell him?"

Robert hesitated, and said he did not exactly know what snow was, but he knew it melted into water.

"Snow," said his father, "may be called frozen mist or rain. When small drops of rain are slowly formed high up in the air, and have to pass through a cold region, they become frozen, and collecting together in loose flakes, descend upon the earth as snow. If a small quantity falls, it soon melts away from the surface of the earth; but if the fall continues many hours, and the cold increases, a thick mantle is formed over our fields and gardens, which protects them from the severity of the succeeding frosts."

"Snow is very beautiful when it first comes down," said Mary.

"It is, and if we examine it closely, we find that each flake is made up of a great number of separate crystals. Sometimes these are irregular in their shape, but in very severe frosts the fine light snow that falls is often composed of very regular crystals. This is especially the case in polar regions, where they have been seen of the most beautiful star-like forms. Snow, like rain, has a variety of appearances at different times, and in different situations. The snow on the summits of lofty mountains is much finer and more compact than that on the lower parts, almost resembling close grains of sand. Though generally of the purest white, yet snow is sometimes seen of a reddish tint, or even of a perfect rose colour."

"Rose coloured snow!" exclaimed Henry, in great surprise. "What a strange thing! A snow storm of that colour must look like showers of rose leaves."

"No, Henry," said his father, "snow does not fall from the clouds of that colour, but it becomes red afterwards, owing to the presence of millions of small red animals which live in it. These can