238 EARLY SPRING IN MASSACHUSETTS. 
and disabled by his shoeing. He is sure to wet 
his feet, tear his coat, and jam his hat, and the 
superior qualities of my boots, coat, and hat 
appear. I once went into the woods with a 
party for a fortnight. I wore my old and com¬ 
mon clothes, which were of Vermont gray. 
They wore, no doubt, the best they had for 
such an occasion, of a fashionable color and 
quality. I thought that they were a little 
ashamed of me while we were in the towns. 
They all tore their clothes badly but myself, 
and I, who, it chanced, was the only one pro¬ 
vided with needles and thread, enabled them to 
mend them. When we came out of the woods I 
was the best dressed of the party. One of the 
most interesting sights this P. M. is the color 
of the yellow sand in the sun at the bottom of 
Nut-meadow and Second Division brooks. The 
yellow sands of a lonely brook, seen through 
the rippling water, with the shadows of the 
ripples like films passing over it. 
Tried by various tests this season fluctuates. 
Thus the skunk-cabbage may flower March 2, as 
in 1860, or not till April 6 or 8, as in 1854 and 
1855, a variation of about thirty-six days. 
The bluebird may be seen February 24, as 
in 1850, 1857, and 1860, or not till March 24, 
as m 1856, a variation of about twenty-eight 
days. 
