Dora was the first to make a discovery, perhaps
because she could knit more rapidly than the others. One of the lumps
in her ball proved to be caused by something rolled in tissue paper.
Feeling sure that this was the key to one of Uncle William's
surprises, they looked on eagerly while she pulled the paper off and
found a gold thimble with her name on it. Not long after Elsie found a
tiny pair of scissors. Never had any work been so delightful! It
usually happened that some one of the gay balls yielded a prize each
Saturday afternoon. Sometimes only a big sugar plum, but oftener
something pretty and useful. A tiny book of texts, a dainty
handkerchief rolled into smallest compass, rings of twisted gold with
the letters M.K. on bangles attached to them,--these were some of the
things found in the wonder balls, for that is what they are called in
Germany, where Mr. Hazeltine first heard of them.
"It is so exactly like him, I thought he must have invented it
himself," said Dora.
CHAPTER XIV.
CLOUDS.
The beautiful snow-storm which came two weeks after Christmas seemed
to be the cause of all the unhappiness, though the real reason for it
was to be found in quite another quarter.
A deep snow followed by a week of clear cold weather seldom came more
than once during the winter in this part of the country, and the
children were wild with delight.
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