The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-01-01
w inter.

Slowly, thickly, lastly fall the snow fakes
like the SEASONS upon the life Of man. AT the
frat, they lose themselves in the brown mat of
heritage, or gently r,elt Al they fall upon the
brown steppng-stone at the door. But as hour
after hour passes the feathery flakes stretch cir
white cloak plainly on the meadow, and chilling
the doorstep with their multitude, cover it " it'll
. mat of pearl
This dried grass tips pierce the mantle Of whise
like 80 many serried spears; but as the storm
goes softly on, they sink one by one to their
suowy tomb; and presently shuw nothing Of alt
their array. sage one or two struggling banners
Of backened and shrunken daisies.
Across the white meadow that stretches from
my window, l Gun nothing Of those hills
which were so green in summer between me
and them lie only the soft, slow moving masses,
filing the air with wilderness. catch only u
glimpse of one gaunt, and bare-armed oak loom
ing through the feathsry multitude, like tall
ships spars breaking through fog.
The roof Of the barn is covered and the leak.
ing caves show dark stains of water, that trickle
down the weather-beaten boards. The pear trees
that wore such weight of grsennsss in the lsafy
June, new stretch their bare arms to the snowy
blast. Ind carry upon each tiny bough a narrow
burden of winter.
The old shouso dog marches stately through
the strange covering Of earth, and seems 70 ron-
NCA WA Viz WoICOuc TIC Will snow, ana HD8Ke0 the
flakes from his long ears, and with a vain snap
at a floating feather. he stalks again to his dry
cover i'll the ahed. The lambs that belonged TO
the meadow flock. with their feeding ground 81!
covered, seem to wonder ut their losses but take
courage from the quisS air of the veteran sheep,
and gambol after them ~ they move sedstely
toward the shelter Of the barn.
The cat, driven from the kitchen door, beats
coy retreat, with long reaches of her foot upon
the yielding surface. The mstronly hens aaun,er
out at little lifting of tho Storm and eye cur.
iously, with heads half turned, their sinking
steps; and then fall back with quiet cluck Of
astisfacton TO the wholesome gravel of tho stable
door.
BY and by the snow.hakes pile mare leisurely,
they grow large and scattered, and came more
slowly than before. The hills that we're brown,
heave into sight,-great, rounded pillows of
white. The grand woods looks shrunken to half
their sight, and stand wading in the storm. The
wind freshens and scatters the light fakes that
crown the burden Of the snow; and IS the day
droops. clear. bright sky of steel color clsaves
the land and clouds, and sends down chilling
wind to bank the walls and freeze tho storm
The moon rises full and refund, and plays with a
joyous chill, over the glistening raiment Of the
land.
pile my Ere with the clean cleft hickory: aud
musing over some sweet story of ths olden time,
l wander into rich realm Of thought until my
eyes grow dim, and dreaming of battle and Of
prince. I fall to sleep IN my cid farm chamber.
AT morning, find my dreams VII written on
the window. in crystals of fairy shape. The
cattle. one by one, with ears froSt-tipped, and
With frosted noses, wend their way to the vat.
tering place in the meadow. One by one they
drink, and crop at the stunted hsrbuge, which
the warm spring keeps green and bare.
hound bays in the distance; the smoke of
cottages rises straight toward heaven; q lazy
jingle Of sleigh.bells wakens the quiet of the
h'gh-road; and apon the hills, the lcafless woods
stand low, like crouching armies, with guns and
spears in rest and among them, the scattered
spiral pines rise like banner men, utteriny with
the'r thousand tongues Of green the proud war
cry 4"GoG is with us"
Hut the sky of winter is sapricious the
Ky OF spring-even AS tho old wander in thought
like the vagarics Of boy.
! Before noon, the heavens are mantled with u
leaden gray; the caves that leaked in th- glow
OF the sun, now tell their tale OF MORNINGS
warmth in crystal ranks Of icicles. The cattle
seek their shelter; the few lingering leaves OF
tue ~hltc oaks rustic dismally the pines breathe
signs ot mourning. AS the night darkens and
"ecpens the storm, the house dog bays the child.
reh crouch in the wide chimney corners the
sIeetty rain comes in sharp gusts. And. as / sit
oy the light, loaping blaze in my chamber, the
scattered hail.drops beat upon my window,
IKE the tappings of an OLD MANS cane.
IKE MARVEL.
| a man in Putnam countv has q couple III