NURSLINGS OF THE SKY 



the wild creatures to their holes. Some- 

 times the warning hangs in the air for days 

 with increasing stillness. Only Clark's 

 crow and the strident jays make light of it ; 

 only they can afford to. The cattle get 

 down to the foothills and ground inhabit- 

 ing creatures make fast their doors. It 

 grows chill, blind clouds fumble in the 

 canons; there will be a roll of thunder, 

 perhaps, or a flurry of rain, but mostly the 

 snow is born in the air with quietness and 

 the sense of strong white pinions softly 

 stirred. It increases, is wet and clogging, 

 and makes a white night of midday. 



There is seldom any wind with first 

 snows, more often rain, but later, when 

 there is already a smooth foot or two over 

 all the slopes, the drifts begin. The late 

 snows are fine and dry, mere ice granules 

 at the wind's will. Keen mornings after 

 255 



