with him than against him, and the shining ones are the stronger."

The confidence of her father harmonized so well with the hopes of
Faith, that it was easy to participate in it, nor in the excitement
which she felt, did his language seem other than proper for the
occasion.




CHAPTER XV.

See winter comes to rule the varied year,
Sullen and sad with all his rising train
Vapors and clouds and storms.
THOMSON'S SEASONS.


The charming poet depicted truthfully, doubtless, as well as
poetically, the English winter, but such is not the character of the
season in New England. Clouds and storms, indeed, herald his advent
and attend his march; capricious too his humor; but he is neither
"sullen" nor "sad." No brighter skies than his, whether the sun
with rays of mitigated warmth but of intenser light, sparkles o'er
boundless fields of snow, or whether the moon, a faded sun, leading
her festal train of stars, listens to the merry sleigh-bells and the
laugh of girls and boys, ever glorified a land. What though sometimes
his trumpet sounds tremendous and frowns o'erspread his face!
Transient is his anger, and even then from his white beard he shakes
a blessing, to protect with fleecy covering the little seeds in hope