FROM A NEW ENGLAND HILLSIDE. 197 



XXXVIII. 



IN times of drought such as this, the foun 

 tains of nature seem to get into the condi 

 tion of a pump which has ceased to &quot; draw,&quot; 

 at which you may work and work to heart s 

 content, or discomfort, but nothing conies. 

 Parturiunt mantes, nascitur ridiculus 

 mns. Yesterday the mercury in the ther 

 mometer mounted higher and higher during 

 the day, like the price of gold upon the 

 famous Good Friday, until it hovered on 

 the edge of ninety-eight degrees, and the 

 aerial currents marked an even temperature 

 with the vital ones. Then came the gath 

 ering of a tempest ; thin clouds formed over 

 the sky, becoming from moment to moment 

 more dense ; heavy and threatening cumu 

 lus masses arose in the south, and gradually 

 covered the heavens, south, east, and west ; 

 magnificent thunder-heads climbed toward 

 the zenith ; a deep leaden-blue veil spread 

 over all that portion of the vault, occasion 

 ally rent by sharp flashes of lightning, fol 

 lowed by reverberating thunder, and in a 



