Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-10-29
4 Good Word for Winter.


/ think the old fellow has hitherto had
seant justice done to him in the main. We
make him the symbol of old age or death,
and think we have settled the matter As
if old age were never frosty. but kindly too
as if it had no reverend graces of its own as
good in their way as the noisy impertinence
Of childhood, the Glowing self-conceit of
youth, or the pompous mediocrity of middle
life IS if there were anything discredit-
able in death, or nobody ever longed for it
suppose that we grant the Winter is the
sleep of the year. what then! | take it up
on me to say that his dreams are finer than
the best reality Of his waking rivals.
Sleep, Silence child, the father Of soft Rest"
Is very agreeable acquaintance. and most
Of us are better employed in his company
than anywhere else. For my own part. /
think Winter is pretty wide awake old boy,
and bis bluff sincerity and hearty ways are
more ccngenial to my mood, and more whole
some for me, than any charms of which his
rivals are capable. Spring is fckle mis-
tre-s, who either does not know her own
mind, or is SO long Of making it up, whether
you shall have her or not have her, that one
gets tired at last Of her pretty mills and re-
cancellations. You 20 to her to be cheered
bit. and ten to one catch her in the sulks,
expecting you to find enough good humor for
both. After she has become Mrs Summer
she grows little more staid in her de-
meanor and her abundant table. where you
are sure to get the earliest fruits and vegeta
bles OF the season, Is a good foundation for
steady friendship; but she has lost that de-
iirious aroma Of motherhood, and what was
dclicately rounded grace in the girl gives
more than hints of something ike redund-
ance in the matron. autumn is the poet Of
the family. lie gets up a splendor that YOU
would say was made out of real sunset: but /
1t l. nothing more than a few hectic leaves. 1
when all is done. lie is but sentimental /
ist after all; a kind of Lamartine whining .
along the ancestral avenues he has made bare ,
timber of and begging a contribution Of .
spirits from your own savings to keep him in
cUuntenance. But Winter has his delicate
sensibilities too, only he does not make them
as good as indelicat Oy thrusting them for
ever in your face. lie Is a better poet than
Autumn, when he has a mind. but. ike a
truly great one as he Is, he brings YOU down
% your great manhood. and bids YOU under
stand him out of that, with no adyentiti0us
helps of association. OF he viii none of YOU.
lie does not touch those melancholy chords
on which Autumn Is as great master as
Heine. Well, is there no such thing as
on them and Numbering over
them till they 20 out Of tune. and YOU wish
some manly hand would crash through them
and leave them dangling brokenly forever?
Take " inter as you find him. and he turns
out to be thoroughly honest fellow, with no
nonsense IN him, and t0lerating none in YOU,
which Is a great comfort in the long run.
lie Is not what they call a genial critic: but
bring real man along with YOU. and YOU
will ind grabbed generosity about the old
,ynic that you would not exchange for all
the creamy concessions Of Autumn. Sea-
ON Of mists and mellow fruitiulness." quo
ha That's just it. Winter soon blows
'our head clear OF fog and makes you see
hings as they are: thank him for it
The truth Is, between ourselves, / have very
-ood opinion Of the whole family. who al
ways welcome me without making me feel as
| were too much Of poor relation.
here ought to be some kind Of distance.
ever 50 little, you know, to give the true
elish. They are as good as company. the
Iorst of them; but | happen to hold Win C
er s retainer, this time, and, like an honest
dyocate, am bound to make a. good a show
~ as ! can for him, even if 1t cost few n
urs upon the rest OF the household. More J
yer, winter is coming, and one would like Il
, get On the bright side of him.-Atlantic T
fJnthy.