CHAPTEE I 



GETTING KEADY 



A March Days Diary 



March Vlih, 1890. Life in a town is on the whole 

 comfortable, convenient, and warm ; but how difficult 

 it is there to get a sight of anything but your street, 

 and a section of a cloudy heaven above it! You 

 must be content to see your sunset caught by a 

 church-steeple ; you search in vain for a cross street 

 at the end of which the full blaze in the west can 

 be enjoyed. You would hardly know, but for the 

 weathercock, what wind is blowing, unless, indeed, 

 it be a grim north-easter ; for the breeze that blows 

 steadily in the country loses its way at the street- 

 corner, and comes twisting round in most uncertain 

 trepidation, trying to get quickly out of this un- 

 wholesome labyrinth without regard to its proper 

 direction. And you are quite in the dark as to 

 what that wind is doing in the open country. Our 



& B 



I 



