the cornfield, yesterday so muddy, now sealed up by the cold. I soon put the ground behind me rapidly and was nearing the creamery. An awful stench that arose here did cloud the peace of my mind momentarily, and made one hold, my breath to the bursting point, but after it was passed, the purity and freshness of the morning forced itself – no it was unnecessary to force itself - flooded in, I may say, over my senses with a new keenness and delightfulness.
     I was surprised at the hardness of the ground, but should not have been. It will take many warm sunny days and soft rainy days to drive the frost from the ground. I was foolish enough last Sunday to think that sap might be running soon. Uncle Sam soon disillusioned me by saying that the frost must be kept of the ground. Then I was provoked at myself for thinking what I had. The Bell Telephone Company had been putting up new poles, and the holediggers say the ground is frozen solid to the depth of three feet. Indeed, during the last long cold spell, the water mains of the city were frozen; and - tho this may be a rather gruesome wayto find out facts. about nature - gravediggers report that the ground isa solid as rock to a depth of four feet. But these