Come / Thou Song Sparrow 1 7 



with delicate frost-work. This was charming and 

 gracious, but there was finer beauty to come in the 

 several ice-storms of the season. Never were there 

 more glorious exhibitions of ice-draped and sun 

 lit forests than in the course of the winter that 

 still lingers. Those who dwell in cities and see 

 only the trees in the streets know little about the 

 brilliant impression the forest makes in such a 

 garb. Indeed, a vast deal of the glory of Nature 

 is only to be realized in the winter, when the 

 trees stand forth in their essential character of 

 strength and vigour. The woodland was magnifi 

 cent in the great ice-storm of midwinter, when 

 the ice remained on the trees for some ten days, 

 glittering and rustling in the wind and sun. But 

 it was a ruinous glory to many a tree. The 

 birches were bent in picturesque arches over 

 mountain roads, and dipped their heads deep in 

 the snow which followed and pinned them down. 

 A remarkable effect was produced in the park 

 of Holland mountain, so wonderfully planned 

 by Nature, with its groups and vistas of red 

 cedars. In all that beautiful hilltop there were 

 few of these cedars which remained upright ; and 

 a great number of them were broken off at 

 half or two-thirds their height. Then there have 

 been many storms which left the trees covered 

 with light, soft snow, creating a fairyland less 

 B 



