It was a day in January. The desultory snow-flakes were skudding
here and there and a white mantle was becoming visible on the fence
tops and pine trees, and as I gazed dreamily from the window of my
study I heard the church bell in the belfry of the village church
peal out its glad tidings of love; and as its decadence faded away,
a thought peaceful and quiet captured my soul,--it seemed as if the
reverberating voice of the holy bell had told me a story--a secret of
happiness and peace.