Where late were cleft the forests’ skirts away,
Showed its low roofs, and, from their thatching brown
Sheeted with ice, sent back the sun’s last ray;
The school-boys left the slippery hillock’s crown,
So keen the blast came o’er the eastern bay;
And pale in vapors thick the sun went down,
And the glassed forest cast a sombre frown.
IV.
The busy house-wife guarded well the door,
That night, against the gathering winter storm—