454 
RURAL HOURS. 
we’ll take it out in tea” — " or sugar ” — “ or ribbon,” as the case 
may bo. 
Tuesday, ‘Id. — Windy, bright and cold. Thermometer fallen 
to 2 above zero. The blue waters of the lake are smoking, a low 
mist constantly rising two or three feet above them, and then dis- 
appearing in the clear atmosphere — a sign of ice. Cold within 
doors ; the frost has found its way into the house ; people’s ener- 
gies are all directed to keeping warm such days as this. 
Wednesday, Zd. — Cold, but less severe. Half a mile of ice on 
the lake ; the waters gray-blue beyond this point. The wind 
raises the fresh, dry snow from the earth in clouds, and sweeps 
the forest branches, bearing the flakes upward toward the 
sky again, ere they have touched the earth. A wintry cloud of 
this kind is now whirling to a great height above the hills at the 
head of the lake. These whirling snow-clouds, borne aloft from 
the earth, are what the “ voyageurs” call a “ j)ouderie.'’ Several 
times this morning they have been colored with a golden tint, by 
the sun, like sand of gold. 
E.xcellent sleighing, but too cold to enjoy it. The driver of the 
stage-coach became so chilled last night, that in attempting to 
wrap a blanket about his body, the reins dropped from his stiff- 
ened hands, the horses ran, he was thrown from his seat, and the 
sleigh upset ; happily no one was seriously mjured, though some 
persons were bruised. 
The mails are very irregular now ; the deep snow on the rail- 
roads retards them very much. This is winter in earnest. 
Thursday, ^th . — Much milder. Light showers of snow, falling 
from time to time through the day. We have had little bright 
