TANGLEWOOD FIRESIDE.

INTRODUCTORY TO “THE THREE GOLDEN APPLES.”

SVE snow-storm lasted another day; but what
<q} became of it afterwards, I cannot possibly im-
MAS') agine. At any rate, it entirely cleared away,
during the night; and when the sun arose, the next
morning, it shone brightly down on as bleak a tract of
hill-country, here in Berkshire, as could be seen anywhere
in the world. The frost-work had so covered the win-
dow-panes that it was hardly possible to get a glimpse at
the scenery outside. But, while waiting for breakfast,
the small populace of Tanglewood had scratched peep-
holes with their finger-nails, and saw with vast delight
that — unless it were one or two bare-patches on a pre-
cipitous hillside, or the gray effect of the snow, inter-
mingled’ with the black pine forest — all nature was as
white as a sheet. How exceedingly pleasant! And, to
make it all the better, it was cold enough to nip one’s
nose short off! If people have but life enough in them
to bear it, there is nothing that so raises the spirits, and
makes the blood ripple and dance so nimbly, like a brook
down the slope of a hill, as a bright, hard frost.