MY PET FOX. 213 



and vanishing "into thin air," while the thermometer 

 is down in the zeros. 



This evaporation at low temperatures is constantly 

 taking place before our eyes, to our advantage. On 

 wash-days the clothes are hung on lines stretched 

 across the ship's rigging, or upon poles across the ice, 

 as you will see on Monday afternoons in the farm- 

 house yards ; and before the week is over the moist- 

 ure has disappeared, no matter how cold it may be. 



January 16th. 



Our eyes now turn wistfully to the south, eagerly 

 watching for the tip of Aurora's chariot, as the fair 

 goddess of the morning rises from the sea to drop a 

 ray of gladness from her rosy fingers into this long- 

 neglected world. 



It is almost a month since we passed the darkest 

 day of the winter, and it will be a long time yet be- 

 fore we have light ; but it is time for us now to have 

 at noontime a faint flush upon the horizon. We find 

 a new excitement, if such it may be called, in the im- 

 patience of expectation. Meanwhile I pet my fox. 



Birdie has become quite tame, and does great credit 

 to her instructor. She is the most cunning creature 

 that was ever seen, and does not make a bad substi- 

 tute for the General. She takes the General's place 

 at my table, as she has his place in my affections ; but 

 she sits in my lap, where the General never was ad- 

 mitted, and, with her delicate little paws on the cloth, 

 she makes a picture. Why, she is indeed a perfect 

 little gourmande, well bred, too, and clever. When she 

 takes the little morsels into her mouth her eyes spar- 

 kle with delight, she wipes her lips, and looks up at 

 me with a coquetterie that is perfectly irresistible. The 



