The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-02-11


Isrniissen.a The frost, rancocted globe o.
Draws in abundant vegetable soul,
And gat hers vigor from tho coming year.
A stronger glow sits on the lively cheek
Ufrud y fire, aud lucuent aieng
The puier rivers dow. their su,len icepa
r. Transparent, open To the shepherds gaze,
Aad murrnur hosrscr at the aa!ns frost.
Rude Winter is upon us, with all his
frosts and storms. a complete change has
come over the aspects Of the earth and sky
and change almost as great over our feel
ings. The earth has changed her drapcry
of green for one OF russell brown or = Of
snowy wilderness. The sky has lost its gold
en- hues, and the sun, even when it tries to
shine has feeble smile. The gorgeous
colors o: the forests. lasted bat for day,
and the Winter winds whistle through the
desolate bsanches The running streams
are brilged with ice, and the merry skater
on wings Of steel rushcs along where float.
ing keel plowed its way.
This complete change of the aspects Of
nature and Of the occupations Of man, is
one Of the charms of country life, and one
OF the Advantages which the farmer has
over the dweiiurs in town. The citizen is
very much tied up to the same routine in
business or in pleasure the year round
lie threads the same streets mounts to the
same chair at his office desk, reads by the
same gas light the year round. II he packs
up his .valise, and his wife and daughters
81 theirsbiy trunks ready for trip to the
country, when the dog is in the ascendant,
he does pot necessarily have change or ey-
per;ence any new sensations. The big
trunks export no inccnsiderable part Of the
city to Saratoga or Newport, and he finds
about the same people and the same pleas
:;res in his summer aunt, as in his abode
i'll the city forltife rest of the year. If he
cats boiled salmon and drinks Champagne
=. the watering place, did he not do.-the
same at home! If he ventures on glass
Of Congress water at the Springs, when
his stomach is a little out of order did he
not drink the same in Winter whenever
the doctor ordered it?, IF he ventures on
with plenty Of soap and crash towels? If
the young ladies dance and hirt in the
Summer vacation, did they do anythlr g
.;lse ia the Winter? If the good mother
nas reasonable solcitude about marriage
prospects amid the gayeties of the grand
hall that winds up the season, does she not
have similar palpitation when the season
opens for the Winter in the city
But the dwcllers upon the farm are fore
Cd by their occupation and by their cir
cu:nstances, to great variety Of employ
ncnt. Every season and almost every
month brings new scenes, suggests new
thoughts, and affords new enjeyments. If
he travel over the same beaten track to mill
md to m .eting,. the scenes along the way
are constantly changing. Every month:
Brings its variety Of flowers, and its new
shade of green upon the meadow, and upon
the forest, until the grass becomes russell
and the foliage bushes with every~.sh shade
ii crimson, and dies in blaze Of glory -
Even the leafless forest has its charms, and
the spray Of many of our forest trees, as
'rc look at them against the grey Winter
sky, is hardly less beautiful than in Sum.
Ancr. Weencw have a chance to see beau
ties in the frame work of the tree, in the
arrangement Of the branches, and the small
lest twigs that the drapery Of Summer
conceals from US.
Even this season has it's attractions for
The eye and for the ear, as well as for the
heart. The flowers have gone and every
green thing has withersd, but the cunning
landiwork Of the Great Architect is every
where manifest. We see it in the delicate
frost work On every fence and building. and
along the banks Of every stream. What
can be more charming than the fresh fallen
.iIow on bright winter morning. as it lies
sparkling in the sun, or hangs upon the
loaded bushes by the roadside
leaves and fruits, the creations Of the night
'.'hen Summer with all its glories has no
taorc brilliant sight than the forest or orch
ard after freezing rain, every limb sheet
h I'm oftO,,f xpy,tb
IS burden Of jewels. The ice that spans
the lake and river, is hardly less beautiful
than the unfrozen water. We see new
world as we look down into the transparent
,iepths beneath-fishcs at rest in their win
ter quarters, and shells and aquatic plants.
The songs have indeed gone from the
forest, we only hear now occasionally the
solitary call Of the 4,luejay, the cawing of
,he crow, or the sharp rattle of the wood
ecker foragng for worms along the dead
branches. But still, there is music even
il Winter. Every one accustomed to OBJ
4erve the phases Of nature, has noticed the
diifercnt sounds of the breeze sweeping
trough leatless trees and through the Sum-
'ler forest. Almost every kind of tree has
no.e peculiar to itself, both in full foliage
and when its branches are bare. The ever
greens alone give forth the same soothing
nurtnur in Summer and Winter. These
are the connecting link between the dead
past and the bright future, showing that
sod has not forgotten the earth amid the
wreck and ruin OF Winter. Who has not
noticed the sonorous ring of the loaded
cart or sled. as it is driven over the crisp
SLOW path? Then We have the song Of
lie woodman and the echoes of his AK,
md the crash and thunder Of the trees as
they are laid low. Once, too, one OF the
pleasant sounds Of this season was the thud
Il the threshers as they welded the fail
upon the barn floor. But the improved
lhreshing machines have nearly ended that
saving days and weeks OF time to be de-
voted to other pursuits profitable to the
purse or to mind.
Winter brings very, pleasant change of
occupation to the farmer. He is relieved
from the pressure Of seed time and har.
vest, apd has.time to enjoy his possessions.
There is even more pleasure in dstribut-
ing his hard earued harvests than in gath.
erins them. lie takes pleasure in minis
s"ring to the pleasure of his animals, and
he has time now to contemplate the grace
Of xAll hred halses, .the. hulk Of .cprp, fed
'eaIh. lie hhsefs AZ the stable, plying the
currycomb; at the sty, patting the sleek
sides of his Suffolks; at the sheep yard,
calling his South Downs, as they poke
thcirdusky noses into his basket for the
sliced roots and grain. Bridget does not
get chance to feed the poultry now. The
master scatters the grain himself with lib
fral hand, and rsjoices in the long train of
turkeys, the Hocks of geese and ducks,
and the multdinous hens that come flying
at his call. Now they put on their most
beautiful plunage, snowy wilderness, CLOS
~ green and bronze, jet black, and golden
yellow-beautiful as they grow, and not