Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

116.               March – 9 – 27 – 1936-

Fortune trip to Harrisburg, Altoona, Pittsburg (sic) –

     Harrisburg trip – 1^st Day –

     Before Olean beautiful spotting of snow on east side of hills to west – Machias like the middle of winter; as like wise (sic) in the mountains snow heavy on the hills unbroken white of mid-winter – misty rain falling,  - great warm from spots coming thru the snow on hillsides (The shaggy brown hills of March) a feeling of the earth coming forth again after a great ice-age. An elemental feeling that grips – a cool dampness of the snowy hills – the damp breath of the snow seeping thru the valley, chilling to the bone, making the walls of the houses damp, roofs soggy – Streams and rivers flush with churning water – one thinks of damp rotting logs, with white foam around them.

     The Susquehanna, full and strong – speckled with floating ice, one feels that a pail-ful(sic) more of water will overflow the banks – At twilight near a town, the river has a haunting look; a whispy (sic) bar of smoke back of a hill – a feeling it would be a friendly thing to have the river as a background to one’s life –

     As twilight deepens into night, the roaring of trucks on the road – it has a spring sound; the black dusk glowers at the road – a train goes by – the wide vastness of train roaring thru hills in March – Darkened houses teem with romance – the sadness and mystery of a warm March night, old memories crowd the mind-

     The confusion of coming into Harrisburg – tired out – bending fender on hump of ice.