JANUARY DAYS 



horizon, stretches the universal white- 

 ness, so coldly shines the sun from the 

 low curve of his course, and so chilly 

 comes the lightest waft of wind from 

 wheresoever it listeth, that it tasks the 

 imagination to picture any land on all 

 the earth where spring is just awakening 

 fresh life, or where summer dwells amid 

 green leaves and bright flowers, the mu- 

 sic of birds and running waters, and of 

 warm waves on pleasant shores, or au- 

 tumn yet lingers in the gorgeousness of 

 many hues. How far off beyond this 

 world seems the possibility of such sea- 

 sons, how enduring and relentless this 

 which encompasses us. 



And then, at the close of the brief 

 white day, the sunset paints a promise 

 and a prophecy in a blaze of color on the 

 sky. The gray clouds kindle with red 

 and yellow fire that burns about their 

 purple hearts in tints of infinite variety, 

 while behind them and the dark blue 

 rampart of the mountains flames the last 

 glory of the departing sun, fading in a 

 tint of tender green to the upper blue. 

 Even the cold snow at our feet flushes 

 with warm color, and the eastern hills 

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