Postlude 



after a brief period of '' frost, of storm, and 

 cloudiness," the soft, reviving glow of spring 

 will overspread the sky, and the southern ocean 

 will send back its waves — waves of thrushes, 

 finches, warblers, and the rest — birds of wood- 

 land, shore, and sea; many of them doubly 

 welcome as old friends, with here and there a 

 stranger in the throng to give the zest of nov- 

 elty ; and, as courier of all the host, like a bene- 

 diction of dying Winter on the head of Spring, 

 Hope's special messenger — the song sparrow ! 



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