TORONTO DECEMBER : 1919 :

igig THE LAMPS
In this district many of the birches still held their leaves, but
from a castle-like hill of rock which the painters favored, the
hills lifted endlessly in the purple grey of bare trees, broken
only with the dark spruce. Winter began to skirmish over the
land. Robins and blue-birds worked southward in numbers—
and an uncertain string of wild geese occasionally appeared from
the north. R on his daily tramps came across groups of
deer apparently choosing winter locations for "yarding up."
Sometimes the frequent rain turned to light snow, and one day
from the top of the castle hill, "Amundsen" saw a strong attack
by Winter, the snow sweeping every sign of Autumn from the
hills in swirling white. When the squall lifted, the near trees
stood dripping in melting snow, and the hills appeared as though
covered with solid mounded ice. There were easy days after
this, but "to every thing there is a season, and a time to every
purpose under the heaven." It was not long before the painters
were packing for the return journey, leaving with R
a farewell gift of potatoes and other unused luxuries of the
bush. The red canoe was carried up again from the river, the
"pede" was taken apart and put aboard, and the crew of A.C.R.
10557, swinging round the curves in the rear coach of the mixed
train could see that red goddess of theirs, swaying along in her
honeymoon decorations, as she clung to a fussy and determined
engine headed once more for the Fall of St. Marie.