The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-02-10

ting, as they will the busy hours throug
put never leave 1t lonely. Beautiful par
hlch with the glory of green spreading tired
sparkling waters, sweet birds, fair faces ar|
gay laughter What a new dress it weaX
this January day. 1t never had more v
itors. L live just opposite, and since {
dawn OF yesterday its paths have be,
thronged with sight-seers, gazing with wo
der at the strange new garments 1t h
donned, examining the trees, bending
pass beneath the branches touching II
earth on every side.
1t rained Wednesday night and Thursdf
all day long-nature's queer innovation
Old winters rule, for which he took gri
vengeance, for every drop became cryst
as it fell, and covered all things rare !
common with uncommon loveliness. III
clothes-ines in the yard are ropes of glas
the Oldest post monument of beauty, al
trees-were ever trees so lovely in tn
world before? They bend so gracefully h
meath their burden, and yet, alas so fatal
for it is said the park trees are ruined. Ea(
tlny twig is dark thread strung throua
long beads and bugles. The elms are stra
gers-whlte, un-weeping willows of the II
species, with slender, sweeping branche'
graceful curves and Arctic glory. The phi
ssographer mas been among them to give thI
1airy freak reality, and slender women, bu !
died up in clothes, led by strong hands cd
treacherous streets, have stood and breathe|
u In, and sleighs of all descriptions brirI
their loads to feed upon the loneliness. HoI
steadily it fell (the RAIN the whole day lonI
ana evening, too, yet as night darkeneI
angry splashes on the window-panes to1
that the wind had taken issue, too, upon TIL
question of Winters supremacy, and sideI
with the strongest. Then how the nod
trees writhed in its grasp and groaned AMI
moaned. Alas in the morning little hea1
OF CLASSY limbs, like huts of crystal, pila
about the park, told how the contest ende
to the weak. Brave young trees turned ID
their opened hearts to the dull skies, Will
all their branches touched the frozen eartl
locked fast with letters welded by the col
and rain, until there seemed, like easter
trees (read of, not seem dozen trunks d
every tree, with interlacing crystal bougll
between. Fountains and arbors, cascadeI
cataracts, waving plumes and stiffene
giant fingers pointing ever up, delcat
ragged fringes, all formed of ice and strun
on trunks and branch and twig, to make
glorious whole. How the sun-god will reve
in such beauty when he comes to melt an
fuse it into one great weeping glory. Whel
nature reigns what artist has chance?
Tell me not Winter has no beauty. Blu
while the storm dressed the trees and par
that Thursday night, the storm-fends fla.
tened securely every wire and bell and fire
alarm, and vented their humor while tn
city slept. A cry, the rousing of the fire
department and men and horses strugglin
through the streets. a large warehouse o
fire on Central wharf and several firm
turned out of doors, wholesale grocers
While still the weary men were battlin
with the flames another cry was heard
Middle street now-furniture shops, cloth
iers, etc. How the flames mounted in yer
madness of revelry! All night the fireme
worked, and morning broke, as it ofte
does, on beauty and destruction side by side
Who set the fire? many asked, for some ha
thought of incendiaries. Could it be poss
BILE the tiery-fiends were flesh and bloc
and helped along the icy myriads of air an
sky? Alas that man should be so low h
can be thus suspected.
The money loss from such a storm is nc
easily estimated, yet the Lord reigns. Ma
the flames of redeeming love burst on tn
waiting, praying churches in this city G
privilege, and rains of mercy soften man
callous hearts. 5. r. GRAHAM CLARK.