THE GLACIEK MEADOWS 133 



through space. But still more impressive to me is 

 the coming of the snow-flowers, falling stars, win 

 ter daisies, giving bloom to all the ground alike. 

 Eaindrops blossom brilliantly in the rainbow, and 

 change to flowers in the sod, but snow comes in full 

 flower direct from the dark, frozen sky. 



The later snow-storms are oftentimes accom 

 panied by winds that break up the crystals, when 

 the temperature is low, into single petals and irreg 

 ular dusty fragments ; but there is comparatively 

 little drifting on the meadow, so securely is it em 

 bosomed in the woods. From December to May, 

 storm succeeds storm, until the snow is about fif 

 teen or twenty feet deep, but the surface is always 

 as smooth as the breast of a bird. 



Hushed now is the life that so late was beating 

 warmly. Most of the birds have gone down below 

 the snow-line, the plants sleep, and all the fly-wings 

 are folded. Yet the sun beams gloriously many a 

 cloudless day in midwinter, casting long lance shad 

 ows athwart the dazzling expanse. In June small 

 flecks of the dead, decaying sod begin to appear, 

 gradually widening and uniting with one another, 

 covered with creeping rags of water during the day, 

 and ice by night, looking as hopeless and un vital as 

 crushed rocks just emerging from the darkness of 

 the glacial period. Walk the meadow now ! Scarce 

 the memory of a flower will you find. The ground 

 seems twice dead. Nevertheless, the annual resur 

 rection is drawing near. The life-giving sun pours 

 his floods, the last snow-wreath melts, myriads of 

 growing points push eagerly through the steaming 

 mold, tlie birds come back, new wings fill the air, 



