Feb, 14—Spring-like weather always sets the nature-writers off in a spate of psetieal quota~ tions and references to the Chinese calendar which measures the seasons with such praise~ worthy accuracy, Basking in the mild weather ofa week or more ago I Was only too willing to hand bouquets to the expert who told us that Spring began on the fourth of this month; but a few days later, with my handy numbed by a wind, I'was not so sure: I took comfort from the fact that February 12 is the day of St. Valentine when the mating of Firds oMeially begins: but I reverted to chilly gloom with a snowstorm, and the remembrance that the day of Excited Incects (the real beginning of springlike weather) ly rot scheduled unfit March G—just 15 days before the, Vernal Equinox when the first Swallows are due. With euch a jumble of dates in my mind, I walked out into a chilly wind end tried think of the signs which might assist to make mo weather-wise; signs which the month of February provides without any ference to the calendars. Early hoar-frosts following a windless night; Haid ice in corners where the wind but no sun corns; hard earth unturned by farmers who prefer' (o stay at home; small, silent birds with feathers all puffed out; such signs as these all tell me that the winter is still here. Yet even while such weather has been with us J have nolod s..a Blackbird carrying straws, the first green palches of Low Spear Grass; a'Shrike singing: 8 Woodpecker drumming....and a little cloud gnats beside a creek: small things perhaps, yet each of those is like a lite vernal spur That "gently pricks at Nature's side to make her change from winter's walk to Spring's full gallop. And yet, when T tried that phrase on my {friend he merely shook his head and said, "Yes, tone week nearer to that filthy heat and' those (unprintable) mosquitoes." Some people are Uke that—Es.w.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.