The south wind blew softly, the air was pure and balmy, the sun shone brightly, and the waters of the lake vied with the sky in the clearness of its azure tints. The birds too were warbling forth a happy song; not, however, with the full swelling chorus of spring, but yet sufficiently to give cheerfulness to the otherwise silent woods. It is a calumny on the feathered tribes of Canada to assert that they have no song; the blackbird can sing when he is inclined, as sweetly as his brother in England, and the Canadian robin’s notes are as full of glee as those of his smaller namesake in the old country.
“By turning our eyes from the bare maples, beeches, and oaks, towards the pine trees, we might fancy that summer had come back again,” said Philip; “the Indian summer at all events. Should to-morrow be like this, I propose knocking up D’Arcy. It’s some days since we heard of him, and he will be feeling that we got tired of him with his visit here, poor fellow.”
“Oh! don’t let him think that,” exclaimed Sophy, earnestly.
“No, that I will not,” said Philip. “Who’ll go? A little recreation will do some of us good, and we’ll work all the better when we come back.”
Something kept Sophy from volunteering to be of the party, but her younger sisters jumped at the proposal.
“I know that you are carefulness itself, Philip,” said Mrs Ashton; “but I entreat you to have but very little sail set.”
“Indeed, mother, I will carry only what is absolutely necessary,” answered Philip. “We need be in no hurry—if the breeze holds, we shall have a soldier’s wind, fair each way.”
The breeze did not hold, and towards evening a thick fog came on. During the night a curious crackling sound was heard, and when daylight returned, the whole lake appeared frozen over. The entire household was soon on foot and braving the keen frosty air, to observe the change which a few short hours had wrought. There must have been a perfect calm when the ice took, for the entire surface of the lake was smooth as a polished mirror and of the same hue; while the surrounding trees and every shrub and blade of grass to be seen was covered with a coating of the purest white. Suddenly the sun rose above the wooded hill to the east, and the whole side of the lake on which its beams were cast, began to sparkle and flash as if covered with gems of the purest water. A light breeze waved the branches to and fro, and now they flashed and shone with increased brilliancy, fresh colours bursting into sight till not a gem was unrepresented in this gorgeous display of “nature’s jewel-box,” as Harry called it.
“Well, Fanny,” he exclaimed, “you need not regret being unable to go to court, for I am very certain that all the duchesses, and countesses, and lady mayoresses to boot, couldn’t make such a display as that.”
As the warmth of the sun increased, the trees began to drip, and the lovely spectacle vanished by noon.