The Sugar Snow 29 



crows, naturally, observed that no such thing 

 ever came without cause, and they gave a few for 

 its speedy departure. The old farmer, starting 

 for meetin on runners, said this was as near goin 

 sleighin on the Fourth as he ever wanted to. 

 The boys said they were glad there was so much 

 of it for there would be some left for snowballs 

 Monday. Moreover, it gave everybody some 

 thing fresh to say about the weather. Something 

 was heard about filling milk-pans with it, to pour 

 the boiling syrup on and make that dainty, maple 

 wax. It was surely a sugar snow, one of those 

 swift night falls, on frozen ground, which send the 

 sap stirring up the maples when the sun comes 

 out. It was really very beautiful snow, and 

 whether dissipating in the sunshine or shining in 

 the moonlight, it was several degrees whiter than 

 the average. Less meteoric dust in it. Spring 

 snow always looks so very young, and it is a 

 blessing to the new grass and young grain, 

 one of those blessings that brighten as they take 

 their flight. 



