20 JO^ra OUT. OF DOORS. 



of meaning is that short word " bleak " ! It suggests every 

 discomfort of a winter day. It means that the world is 

 cloud- wrapped, and sunshine but a memory. It means the 

 relentless north wind buffeting the forest ; the face of the 

 upland fields scoured with eddying clouds of sand and 

 snow. The trareler, turning his back to the world, scans 

 the southern sky 'twixt hope and fear ; for when winter 

 days are really bleak it indeed needs sharp eyes to spy out 

 each shadowy promise of relief. Such was a recent day, 

 when from my cozy corner the familiar outlook was wholly 

 forbidding. But for hours I had wondered what of the 

 wild life that only yesterday had made merry the same 

 scenes. Was every creature now a victim of despair, 

 crouching soulless and dumb in some safe shelter ? or could 

 it be the fields, wood, and meadows were deserted ? 



Summoning all my courage, I sought the frozen mead- 

 ows as probably the least dreary spot within reach, for 

 there the winds were stayed by the winding terrace with 

 its towering trees ; and while yet on the hill-side, thinking, 

 I know not why, of shrews, I found fresh leaves. Winter- 

 green, bright as May blossoms, dotted here and there the 

 ground, and above them waved the ranker foliage of sas- 

 safras and bay. , How weak to impute our own want of 

 courage to all Nature ! 



I need but seek some sheltered nook 



The giant oaks atween, 

 And, spite the chilly northern blast, 



I find some trace of green. 

 Some hopeful flower, brave of heart, 



Makes glad the lonely spot, 

 And cheerless Winter's deadly grasp 



On Nature is forgot. 



I had been thinking of shrews, and now, strangely 

 enough, from a narrow snow-drift suddenly a black speck 

 appeared. It immediately became larger, and assumed 



