WINTER SKETCHES. I95 



Stream his foot slipped, as he reached out in the 

 water to spear some small mollusk or aquatic 

 larva. Suddenly the trail is discontinued, as if the 

 bird had fallen dead, and had drifted away with 

 the current. 



The ponds are again sealed with thin ice, which 

 gives a dull reflection to the trees and shrubs on 

 the banks, while the polished surface here and 

 there, by the cunning iingers of refrigeration, are 

 ornamented with spangles, rays and flowers. The 

 fine green algas that floated on the water in places 

 yesterday, were caught in the crystalline veneer- 

 ing, and broken slices held to the light have 

 the appearance of stained glass. Frost fairies 

 thronged the wood-road in the witching hours and 

 covered every little pit and hollow there with thin 

 plates of pearly ice, which if tapped slightly 

 with the cane, send forth certain musical tones 

 like those from kettle-drums — chiming, clinking 

 sounds, or deep, hollow reverberations, according 

 to their area and depth. Perhaps a musician with 

 delicate ears could select special cavities on which 

 to express correctly the several notes in the scale. 



How still the woods are! The crisp leaves, as 

 they are lifted on their edges by the passing zeph- 

 yrs, seem to admonish one in low sounds to listen : 

 "Hush! Hist!" they whisper, "you may hear 

 the fun and frolic of the dryads." 



The winged seed of an aster or golden rod flies 



