420 
RURAL HOURS. 
with us, and return to still cooler regions as the warm weather 
approaches. These are the white-throat, a pretty bird; the 
white- crowned sparrow, more rare ; the fox- colored sparrow ; and 
the tree-sparrow, like those we saw this morning. Thus at all 
seasons these little creatures are near to tell us of the direct and 
immediate care of Providence ; they run about our doors as we 
come in and go out ; they rise from their grassy nests in the open 
field; they sing to us from the thickets and bushes; we find 
them by the bank of the river ; on the sea-shore ; and as one 
party goes with the falling leaves of autumn, they are succeeded 
by others who perch among the naked branches, and remain 
through the cheerless winter. Each of these humble flocks as it 
crosses our path, whether in the storm or in the sunshine, may 
remind us of the same sublime truth, that they and we are ever 
under the care of our merciful Father in heaven, never forgotten 
before God. 
Monday, 1 1 th. — Very mild. A dull day closed with a cheer- 
ing sunset ; the clouds, in waving folds of gra)^, covered the whole 
heavens ; but as the sun dropped low, he looked in upon us, and 
immediately the waves of vapor were all tinged with red, dark 
and rich beyond the pines of Sunset Hill, and paler, but still 
flushed, to the farthest point of the horizon. 
Another little sparrow flew past us, as we were walking this 
afternoon. 
Tuesday, I2th. — Mild, but cooler; frost last night. Long 
walk in the woods. Much green fern still in many places, although 
it is no longer erect. We have had only one fall of snow, and 
that a light one ; but the fern is already lying on the ground, 
prostrate, as in spring. Adjoining these fresh leaves of the dif- 
