PRELUDE

When the air is soft and warm
And the sun's aglow,

Get

your trusty overshoes,
It's pretty sure to snow.

When the sky is overcast
And the wind is high,
You want to take precautions 'gainst
A sunstroke by and by.

The weather's easy to foretell

In moments such as these;

It's sure to rain or snow or thaw,
Or get red hot or freeze.

As a rule a man's a fool;

Selected.

When it's hot he wants it cool;

And when it's cool he wants it hot

Always wanting what is not.

Selected

OPINIONS

JANUARY

January, bleak and drear,
First arrival of the year,

Named for Janus,-Janus who,
Fable has faces two;

says,

Pray, is that the reason why
Yours is such a fickle sky?
First you smile, and to us bring
Dreams of the returning spring;
Then, without a sign, you frown,
And the snowflakes hurry down,
Making all the landscape white,
Just as if it blanched with fright.
You obey no word or law;
Now you freeze and then
Teasing all the brooks that run
With the hope of constant sun,
Chaining all their feet at last

freeze and then you thaw,

Firm in icy fetters fast.

Month of all months most contrary,

Sweet and bitter January.

Frank Dempster Sherman.

It was, in fact, a cold, leaden January, a succession of days in which it is wise to give up Nature as a bad job, and use to the full the aids and artifices of civilization.

Jest rain and snow! and rain again!
And dribble! drip! and blow!

E. F. Benson.

Then snow! and thaw! and slush! and then
Some more rain and snow!

James Whitcomb Riley.