Visions and Rumours of War 
of the inclination to snow shown by the weather, his little 
guests all arrived from the far-away farmsteadings. We had 
an ultra-military tree, more flags and drums and trumpets 
somehow than usual, china mugs with generals’ heads on 
them, handkerchiefs with maps and queens’ heads; every- 
one’s thoughts are with our soldiers ; even in this out-of-the- 
way corner there are those besides ourselves who have kith 
and kin with the flag. 
January 8. — Boy went back to school to-day, driving 
away down the avenue, chatting gaily to the old friend 
taking him to the station, with whom he had often wandered 
round the farm. I watched from the porch to see the 
last of the golden head. So I learned the lesson all 
mothers must learn sooner or later — to bear to see the 
cherished child of home go out into the cold, cold world, 
lucky if the sun always shine as it has done to-day. 
Grey skies as a canopy over departures make a heavy heart 
heavier, I think. Yet, as somebody says, “ Good times and 
bad times and all times win over.” 
January 20.-— -Picked a few Snowdrops, scarcely enough, 
methinks, to deck the altar of St. Fiacre, the tutelary saint 
of horticulturists. 
January 22. — First appearance of Wolfsbane Aconite, 
dear little woodland fay in his green ruff. 
January 23. — The Snowdrop bank is beginning to look 
quite white, and the Poor Johnnies are peeping out shyly. 
I picked quite a little bunch of Primroses to-day : it is so 
delightful to see their “ lilye ” faces again ! 
February 3.. — Yesterday was a lovely bright day. Every 
one quoted the old saw, il If Candlemas Day be dry and 
fair, the half of Winter’s to come and mair.” To-day sleet 
and snow, growing worse every minute. 
February 14. — The weather has grown wilder and wilder. 
St. Valentine would need a frieze-coat to-day. There is a 
foot of snow in the garden, and drifts growing deeper and 
deeper in many places. Such weather has not been known 
for nearly thirty years. The trout river is now partially 
frozen over, and it is most curious to see the miniature snow 
257 r 
