240 BIRD PARADISE 



The weather certainly greeted ns this year with 

 the true Christmas greeting. Cold and crisp, with 

 good sleighing, filled the record completely. The 

 parson tested it somewhat with a short walk and 

 found it perfect for the day. Enough snowflakes 

 sifted down to mark the hours properly, and the 

 breezes tossed them hither and thither in real 

 Christmas style. We noticed that the fleecy 

 clouds were having a real carnival. All day 

 long, and far into the night they danced to lively 

 tunes which the northwest winds played for them, 

 and such feasting as winds and clouds enjoyed 

 comes to them only now and then. I like to fancy 

 that the keen, frosty air is a great Christmas cake 

 prepared especially for the clouds and winds. 

 Then the notion gets place with me that all the 

 good things which contribute to a real winter's 

 day find in each other the other self. It looks 

 that way, and then it is only a step to the fancy 

 that each workman in the great house is a sort of 

 living creature. Why, sometimes I am quite sure 

 I hear them saying with the Master, " Wist ye 

 not that I must be about my Father's business? " 

 And how grandly they say it. Just a great mag- 

 nificent song set to music that is surely heavenly. 

 As I pen these words the winds are coming out of 



