it is to be , in good earnest , a wintry storm . 1 it 2 is 2 is 3 to 3 to 4 be 4 be 5 , 5 , 6 in 6 in 7 good 7 good 8 earnest 8 earnest 9 , 9 , 10 a 10 a 11 wintry 11 wintry 12 storm 12 storm 13 . thus gradually , by silent and stealthy influences , are great changes wrought . 1 thus 2 gradually 2 gradually 3 , 3 , 4 by 4 by 5 silent 5 silent 6 and 6 and 7 stealthy 7 stealthy 8 influences 8 influences 9 , 9 , 10 are 10 are 11 great 11 great 12 changes 12 changes 13 wrought 13 wrought 14 . we , likewise , shall lose sight of our mother 's familiar visage , and must content ourselves with looking heavenward the oftener . 1 we 2 , 2 , 3 likewise 3 likewise 4 , 4 , 5 shall 5 shall 6 lose 6 lose 7 sight 7 sight 8 of 8 of 9 our 9 our 10 mother 10 mother 11 's 11 's 12 familiar 12 familiar 13 visage 13 visage 14 , 14 , 15 and 15 and 16 must 16 must 17 content 17 content 18 ourselves 18 ourselves 19 with 19 with 20 looking 20 looking 21 heavenward 21 heavenward 22 the 22 the 23 oftener 23 oftener 24 . now , leaving the storm to do his appointed office , let us sit down , pen in hand , by our fireside . 1 now 2 , 2 , 3 leaving 3 leaving 4 the 4 the 5 storm 5 storm 6 to 6 to 7 do 7 do 8 his 8 his 9 appointed 9 appointed 10 office 10 office 11 , 11 , 12 let 12 let 13 us 13 us 14 sit 14 sit 15 down 15 down 16 , 16 , 17 pen 17 pen 18 in 18 in 19 hand 19 hand 20 , 20 , 21 by 21 by 22 our 22 our 23 fireside 23 fireside 24 . slow and sure ! 1 slow 2 and 2 and 3 sure 3 sure 4 ! who reared it ? 1 who 2 reared 2 reared 3 it 3 it 4 ? and what means it ? " 1 and 2 what 2 what 3 means 3 means 4 it 4 it 5 ? 5 ? 6 " on strides the tyrant over the rushing rivers and broad lakes , which turn to rock beneath his footsteps . 1 on 2 strides 2 strides 3 the 3 the 4 tyrant 4 tyrant 5 over 5 over 6 the 6 the 7 rushing 7 rushing 8 rivers 8 rivers 9 and 9 and 10 broad 10 broad 11 lakes 11 lakes 12 , 12 , 13 which 13 which 14 turn 14 turn 15 to 15 to 16 rock 16 rock 17 beneath 17 beneath 18 his 18 his 19 footsteps 19 footsteps 20 . such fantasies , intermixed among graver toils of mind , have made the winter 's day pass pleasantly . 1 such 2 fantasies 2 fantasies 3 , 3 , 4 intermixed 4 intermixed 5 among 5 among 6 graver 6 graver 7 toils 7 toils 8 of 8 of 9 mind 9 mind 10 , 10 , 11 have 11 have 12 made 12 made 13 the 13 the 14 winter 14 winter 15 's 15 's 16 day 16 day 17 pass 17 pass 18 pleasantly 18 pleasantly 19 . on the window-sill , there is a layer of snow , reaching half-way up the lowest pane of glass . 1 on 2 the 2 the 3 window-sill 3 window-sill 4 , 4 , 5 there 5 there 6 is 6 is 7 a 7 a 8 layer 8 layer 9 of 9 of 10 snow 10 snow 11 , 11 , 12 reaching 12 reaching 13 half-way 13 half-way 14 up 14 up 15 the 15 the 16 lowest 16 lowest 17 pane 17 pane 18 of 18 of 19 glass 19 glass 20 . the garden is one unbroken bed . 1 the 2 garden 2 garden 3 is 3 is 4 one 4 one 5 unbroken 5 unbroken 6 bed 6 bed 7 . but what dismal equipage now struggles along the uneven street ? 1 but 2 what 2 what 3 dismal 3 dismal 4 equipage 4 equipage 5 now 5 now 6 struggles 6 struggles 7 along 7 along 8 the 8 the 9 uneven 9 uneven 10 street 10 street 11 ? alas ! 1 alas 2 ! i shiver , and think it time to be disconsolate . 1 i 2 shiver 2 shiver 3 , 3 , 4 and 4 and 5 think 5 think 6 it 6 it 7 time 7 time 8 to 8 to 9 be 9 be 10 disconsolate 10 disconsolate 11 . whence come they ? 1 whence 2 come 2 come 3 they 3 they 4 ? where do they build their nests , and seek their food ? 1 where 2 do 2 do 3 they 3 they 4 build 4 build 5 their 5 their 6 nests 6 nests 7 , 7 , 8 and 8 and 9 seek 9 seek 10 their 10 their 11 food 11 food 12 ?