Snow Flakes (From "Twice Told Tales")

A wintry morning unfolds in vivid detail, as the narrator watches delicate flakes drift from a gray sky and settle over a sleepy New England town. The prose captures the quiet endurance of passers‑by, the slow blanketing of roofs and gardens, and the hushed awe that settles over the landscape when nature dons its white mantle. In the fire‑lit study, the narrator finds the storm’s chill a catalyst for imagination, letting thoughts sparkle like stars against the gloom.

Against this atmospheric backdrop, a young observer steps into the snow‑strewn world, feeling its chill and wonder with each careful footfall. The story follows his simple, vivid encounters with the transformed countryside, where familiar sights become mysterious and the ordinary takes on a magical hue. As the storm builds, his reflections and small acts hint at deeper feelings of isolation and the yearning for connection, inviting listeners to share in the quiet beauty of a New England winter.