The Frankfort roundabout. [volume] (Frankfort, Ky.) 1882-1908, 1907-02-09
For the Roundabout
A WINTERS DAY IN THE COUN
TRY.

When we awoke the world about
us was enveloped in snow. It was
even over the worm fences. and lying
as a soft, white garment on the
boughs of the cedars, and the limbs
of trees. Not path was to be seen
in any direction, and quiet stiffness
rested upon the air as If all life had
succumbed to some potent draught of
sleep, and slumber reigned supreme.
The fire fickered low; it needed re-
plenishing, so with a bound | sprang
to its rescue. and very soon the
warmth from the great heap of burn.
ing logs pervaded the room with an
atmosphere of delicious comfort. 1t
did not take many minutes to awake
the echoes, and call aloud in a spirit
of mirth and happiness, that it was
time for breakfast, and after that a
sleigh ride.
Jack Frost's pretty tracings on the
window pane ran down in tears, and
Richard" passing called out to the
master, washing his face in cold water,
that it was shore cold, ice everywhere,
and snow so deep he would have to
get the big shovel to dig out a path
ter the stable"
And I actually laughed over the
news, because am devoted to cold
weather, and snow is one of the next
best friends
We breakfasted. The. children,
Jackie" and "Boggers' Z eating oatmeal
with relish, their mother enjoying
meat and hot biscuit, and my cakes
and eggs, with coffee SO hot that my
tongue was burned ii my effort to
both talk and drink IL "The master"
came in afterward. He, too, welcomed
1.-THE morning with its snow fall as
good harbinger. sHpld us of the adj
went Of six new limbs. One small
thing with lons 61ekward, wabbling
legs was brought n anu IIsy1csd before
the roaring fire to get warmth in it's
shivering body. The baby looked over
it's cradle. The two recognized the
affinity Of life; the animal united
with the Kingdom of God" in blessing
comradeship, and to the weak bleat
of the newly born lambkin the baby
answered BAH" Such laughing and
rejoicing on our part, and such pleas
ure depicted on the face of the House
in her arms, and carrying it to the
box, holding the wee lamb, laid her
hands on the head of each, and blessed
them. We talked of the strange com.
mingling of circumstances how mar
row was the confines of life, and with
what wonderful aptitude natures
blended; the sweet simplicity of inno-
cence.
By the time we had held such con.
verse the master told me that he was
ready to assist my departure, and
looking out of the window, behold,
there was the sleigh piled high with
robes, and it swift runners waiting
to run races with the snow flurries.
The expected pleasure made me very
happy, and made haste to get ready,
and make my departure. The road
was beautiful! Drifts high as ones
head were bounded on both sides of
the way through the pasture white
and glistening in the bright sunshine.
Cedars were covered with the white
mantle, and long rows of icicles hung
like fairy candelabras to the over
hanging cliffs which now we were
passing, strange panorama of natures
passing into the Sublime. The pike
had been broken for us, by the run
ners of other sleighs and we laughed
and talked over the stories of other
deep SHOWS in Kentucky, especially the
long hard winter of 1865, when men
and animals froze under the severe
temperature registering far below
zero. Our way was short, and we
were soon lat home" Out of the
stiffness and silence of the winter
landscape | looked out on another
world, alive with humans, not half
so congenial as were the dumb COM
rades and the birds l had left be-
hind, and as faces of children came
before me a wish to live always in
the country swept my heart and
turned away to hear the sad whistle
of the Midland and the low rumbling
of the train crossing the bridge be.
low me in the valley Of shadows. The