THE TERRORS OF THE WINTER, 265 



the night, changing the entire aspect of the 

 country side. Winter in downright earnest is 

 here at last. What a grand transformation a 

 few hours' fall of snow will work ! Overnight we 

 gazed upon the green meadows, the dark brown 

 fallows, and the leaf-scattered woods, much as 

 autumn left them a world bestrewn with the 

 ruins of its summer grandeur; now in the morning 

 all is changed into one vast canopy of white, 

 gleaming and glittering in the sunshine ! Over- 

 head the bright blue sky seems eloquent enough 

 of peace; the storm-clouds have vanished, but the air 

 is sharp, and the wintry breeze rattles keenly through 

 the naked trees, dislodging the big white masses 

 of snow, which scatter and powder into crystal 

 dust as they fall. What pen can do justice to the 

 grandeur of a snowstorm what words can properly 

 describe this fairy scene of enchantment which 

 Nature has so silently formed ? The tree trunks 

 are garnished with fleecy touches here and there 

 in the crevices of the bark, and on the weather 

 side of every one masses of snow have gathered 

 as the storm in blinding fury swept by. In places 

 sheltered from the winds, every branch and twig 

 is covered with the snow, and all the undergrowth 

 is wreathed and matted together with wool-like 

 cables a perfect lattice-work of brilliant white. 

 Here and there the snow has drifted into banks 

 smooth as glass, amongst which the tall dead 

 weeds tower grimly, all of them capped with a 

 white massive crown. Every post and fence and 



