Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-01-04
PICTURES ON THE WINDOW.
by "DRICK" PoMEROY.


morning the windows presented one "a
the most beautiful sights ever beheld.
While those indoors were chatting or
sleeping winter had set its spring pat
terms for summer work, and how deli
cate were the touches and tracings of
the magic pencil! One window in par
ticular, at which have been long look
ing, presented wondrous picture and
moving panorama OF frost art. 1t
seemed as though convention of angel
artists had Been summoned by the dying
winter king, and, by the light of the
aurora boreOtiS, had made him n pic
ture OF such magic beauty that no one
could look upon it without feeling to do
them homage.
There were the bold, heavy strokes
OF some rough old frost spirit who de-
lighted in making mountains, rocks,
cascades, and deep ravines, as some in
dependent mortals like TO make and
leave their marks on the varying face
Of creation and the created. There
stood the work of less dashing artists,
delighting in the production of plains,
rivers, oceans and deserts. Then there
were panes filled with bristling and
glistening forest deep and dark-with
wood rivaling the famed Bots de Bou-
lOgne-with prairies and deserts
stretching off into the distance, as run
the lives and lines of the pioneers, till
lost in touches so delicate that the
breath OF spirit even, must drive the
work away There were sketches by
still gentler artists of birds, of plants,
of flowers, and thousand beautiful
fancies, spread like the divine breath
of angels who whisper Of Gods love to
the world. There were the choicest,
most delicate embroiderieS, rivaling the
finest Honiton, so neatly woven, of so
fine q texture, and OF such handsome
patterns that it seemed as if the we'd
ding lace and bridal wells of angels had
been stolen from their heavenly ward
robe and placed on the window before
man TO teach him his utter insignifi-
canoe.
The entire panorama Of sea-of earth
of heave'. and OF eternity lay spread
out there and countless thousands of
more beautiful pictures were presented
than artist ever saw in his most
golden dreams. Cities, teeming with
life; streets filled with horses, car
riageS and pedestrians, crossing, pass
ing, and repassing each other; blocks
of stores, in the windows Of which
could be seen all that makes up the
wardrobe of the most fashionable lady
or gentleman, or the coarser habili-
ments of poverty. There were blocks
Of tenement houses, the roofs broken
in and walls topping doors, UNI
hinged and windows shattered-lean-
ing and nodding toward each other as
If mocking at the misery of their in
mates!
There were cities silent and deserted,
with battered walls, crumbling houses,
ruined churches and streets, looking
silent ana Allied with rubbish. There
were cities filled with handsome resi-
dences, splendid parks, in which were
fountains-churches built after a score
of architectural designs, the spires
losing themselves in the midst of count
less glittering stars, each pointing to
heaven, where reside the sources of in
spiration. Groupes of people, flocks of
birds-of Waterfowl. and herds of
horses were to be seen. There were
trees growing up straight and hand
some, the upper limbs heavy with foil
age-trees gnarled and twisted as is the
life of those who make themselves
friendless-trees laden with suggestive
tropical fruits-trees in whose branches
could be seen beautiful feathered birds
trees under which could be seen low
ers fondly reclining-trees in which
serpents were writhing and swinging
from branch to branch, and trees be-
meath which weie groups OF cattle, APP
parantly enjoying the shade caprici-
Gus puff of wind had thrown from the
thickly-woven branchs! o, how beau
tiful! and how deep and high and wide
the picture.
| Mountains reared their lofty sum-
mits till the highest peaks seemed lost
in the ante-chamber Of heaven, and
adown whose sides hung frozen cas-
cades. There were towers rivalling
Bunker Hill, the Washington monu-
ment, the leaning tower Of Pisa, or the
tower of Babel! There were plains on
which deer, wild horses, cattle, and
buffalo roamed and raced and sported
in all their native freedom, as goes the
thoughts of those who love God and
wish all of mankind well. Flower gar
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only so perfect that on the different
variety of shrubs and plants could be
seen leaves, stems, flowers and buds,
with humming-birds and-butterhies
| lightly lowering thereover. There
were sullen forests, interlaced with
walks and filled in with tangled thick
cts, from which protruded heads of wild
boars, of tigers, of hyenas, of toads, Of
serpents. and Of devils! There were
little waterfalls leaping from rock to
rock or pouring over abrupt cliffs, los
ing themselves in the spray which fell
on the tree-tops below, or rising in a
| cloud OF stars, glittering like diamonds
meath the rays of the rising sun, that
arose TO see what night had wrought.
Then came lakes and oceans, on
whose bosom could be seen ships sail
ing smoothly along, or plunging madly
over the rolling waves before n tempest
that seemed TO be fairly bowling. There
were rivers covered with various craft,
along whose banks walked students