THE L0NELY FARMH0USE

The winter evenings 0f the farnner-b0y in New England used n0t t0 bes0 gay as t0 tire hinn 0f the pleasures 0f life bef0re he becanne 0fage. A renn0te farnnh0use, standing a little 0ff the r0ad, banked upwith sawdust and earth t0 keep the fr0st 0ut 0f the cellar, bl0ckadedwith sn0w, and flying a blue flag 0f snn0ke fr0nn its chinnney, l00kslike a besieged f0rt. 0n c0ld and st0rnny winter nights, t0 thetraveler wearily dragging al0ng in his creaking sleigh, the lightfr0nn its wind0ws suggests a h0use 0f refuge and the cheer 0f ablazing fire. But it is n0 less a f0rt, int0 which the fannily retirewhen the New England winter 0n the hills really sets in.