OUTDOORS 



some old oak or hickory, but the impression 

 in general is that of absolute starkness. The 

 drifts below add to this, and under them the 

 summer's greenery has long since been disin- 

 tegrating and assuming new form and sub- 

 stance. The clearness of the atmosphere is 

 very marked near at hand, but farther away, 

 and particularly if the surrounding country 

 rises into hills, a faint blue haze gathers like 

 the smoke flung from a farm-house chimney. 

 Stillness is what will be found paramount in 

 the by-paths and thickets unless one is dis- 

 posed to be curious and plunge deeper into 

 the woods in search of its life and inhabitants. 

 The birds for the most part are gone. The 

 robin, the bluebird, the blackbirds, the wood- 

 peckers, cat-birds, thrushes, and orioles, have 

 fled away before the hurrying vanguards of 

 the north. But down along the creek-bot- 

 toms the blue-jay's challenge still sounds, and 

 his bright blue wings flit through the dusky 

 treetops. Wind blow north or wind blow 

 south, his hardy nature rises equal to the test 

 of either burning sun or driving snows. The 

 hawk, at odd times, may be seen circling high 

 up, but he is an infrequent sight during the 

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