II 



THE HARBINGER OF SPRING 



rr^HERE was no hint of spring in the 

 -*- crisp winter air and no touch of 

 warmth along the broad heavens, or 

 across the white frozen earth, when this 

 little harbinger of spring appeared. 



Although it was the middle of Febru- 

 ary, the eaves had dripped but twice dur- 

 ing the month, and the earth looked drear 

 and forbidding. 



My own spirit was weighed down by 

 the cheerlessness of the landscape, for 

 nature's moods are usually reflected in my 

 own. The soul is like a looking-glass 

 reflecting the lights and shades of all life 

 which we see revealed in nature. I could 



37 



