A SPRING HERESY 91 



one to observe this finer action of the frost, the thick 

 mist cuts off the general view, limiting the vision, as 

 one moves, to a series of natural vignettes. Now 

 a lithe young poplar, coated about with frost, shows 

 like some massively limbed candelabrum wrought in 

 stucco ; now the encased twigs of a section of thorn 

 hedge, as impervious to light as when in summer 

 foliage, mimics the heavy branchery of coral. Then 

 a full-leafed holly lends itself to more delicate 

 workmanship, and discloses the manner of its 

 accomplishment. Around each leaf a thick, chenille- 

 like border has been formed, so high that one must 

 look down from above to find the unfrosted face of 

 the leaf, yet following its contour so truly that this 

 border reflects each successive spine and loop upon 

 which the whole structure has been built. 



Lying upon the top of a low stone wall, and 

 sheltered by the tree, is a single holly leaf. Frost- 

 stuff has run short down here, the sheltered conditions 

 were unpropitious ; but the artist, with scantier 

 material and retarding influences, has achieved a 

 more significant work. The leaf lies with its glossy 

 dark green face upwards, clear of frost, as are also 

 the edges looped from spine to spine. The 

 downward-turned spines, like legs of some strange 

 creeping leaf-insect, support it ; upon the upturned 

 ones the little craftsman has expended all his art 

 for a week past. Clutching evanescent atomies of 

 moisture from the air, he conveyed them to the tips 

 only of his upturned spines. So rarely they came 

 that the great structure he had in mind to build was 

 starved. For he, too, like his brethren in the tree 

 above him, had his dream of a dense chenille border 



