Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-04-04

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then it rests upon a leaf and a.
lights upon the ground with such
a dainty step, so softly, SO quiet
ly, that you almost pity its yir-
gin helplessness.
If you reach out your hand to
help, your touch destroys it. 1T
dies in your palm and departs as
a tear. Thus the ancients feign-|
cd that-let mo see, what was it
that they feigned?-Lot's spouse
went into salt. That was not it.
Niobe to stone, several into veg
etables, some into deer, but was
nobody turned into a fountain?--|
All, yes, Arethusa. Butnow that
We have hit the thing that dimly
floated in our memory, 1t is not a
case to the point, so we will let
Arethusa flow (slide) and return
to our snow.
If any should ask what is the
most innocent thing on earth, he
might be answered snowflake.
And yet, in its own way Of exert
ing itself it stands among the
foremost powers on earth. When
it fills the air the sun cannot shine,
the eyes become powerless, nei-
Their hunter, pilot, guide, nor
watchmen, are any better than
blind men. The eagle and mole
are on a level Of vision. All the
kings Of the earth could not send
forth an edict to mankind, saying,
"Let labor cease" But this
white-plumed light-infantry clears
out the fields; drives men home
from the highway, and puts half
a continent under ban. 1t is a
despiser of old landmarks, and
very quietly unites all properties,
covering up fences, hiding paths
and roads, and doing in one day
the work which the engineers and
laborers of the whole earth could
not do in a year.
But let the winds arise, (itself
but the movement Of soft, invisi-
bic particles of air. and how is
the peaceful seeming Of snow
flakes changed. In an instant the
air moves. There is fury and
spite in the atmosphere. Itpelts
you, and searches you in every
fold and seam in your garments.
1t comes without search warrant
through every crack and crevice
of your house. It pours over
hills, and turks down in valleys,
or roads, or cuts, until in a night
| it has entrenched itself formida-
bly, against the most expert hu-
man strength: For now, lying
in drifts far and wide, it bids de-
Ifiance to engine and engineer.
All these thoughts we had
leisure to spin last night, while we
lay within two miles Of Morris
town, N. j., beating away at a
half a mile inclined plane heaped
with snow. We look upon the
engine as the symbol Of human
skill and power. In its summer
rush along a dry track it would
seem literally invincible. II
comes roaring up towards you
lit sweeps scientifically past you
with the wild scream Gifts whistle
waving the bushes, and rustlinl
the grass and flowers on eithel
side, and filing the air with clouds
of dust and smoke, and you lool
upon its roaring course gradual,
dying out of sight, and roaring
as il some supernatural develop
ment Of might had passed By
you in a vision. But now thi
wonderful thing is as tame as
wounded bird, and all its spirit j
gone. No blow is struck. Tb'
snow puts forth no power. l
simply lies still. That is enough
The laboring engine groans AM
pushes; backs out and plunges il
, again; retreats and rushes again
The snow is everywhere. 1t
: before it and behind it. 1t pene
trates the whole engine, is sucke'
/. up in the draft, whirls in sheets il
the engine room; torrents tn
numbered wheels, clogs the joints
and packing down under the DIR
, Ivers it fairly lifts the ponderou
engine off from its feet aud strand
I, lit across the track! Well done
snow! That was a notable vic
toryl Thou mayest well consen
! now to yield to scraper and sno7
: pillow.
I Ina few weeks another silen
o force comes forth. And a noise
Hess battle will ensue, in whic
this now victorious army ofAake
shall be itself vanquished.
rain drop is stronger than a snow
flake. One by one the arme