In Winter Quarters 



Nature will either destroy or modify 

 them to conform to her own all-wise 

 notions of what a bird or beast should 

 be to survive her not always tender 

 handling. Knowing as we do that in 

 many cases these creatures are owned 

 by men who expect them to shift more 

 or less for themselves, I never see a 

 bitter winter night settling down over 

 our iron-bound territory that I am not 

 oppressed by the certainty that some- 

 where not only poorly-protected hu- 

 mans, but thousands of other living 

 things, are facing sufferings intense; 

 and this feeling detracts always from 

 the satisfactions waiting round the 

 glow of the evening lamp, as the ice- 

 pond in the park begins to crack with 

 cold and darkness overtakes alike both 

 sheltered and unsheltered flesh and 

 blood. 



Being snow-bound has no terrors 



for those who love good books or those 



who find something more than heat 



in the open fire-place. Strange, isn't 



[90] 



