WAUSAU, Wis. — Something told the wild geese it was time to go.
The poet Rachel Field, whose poem set out that immutable rule of the seasons, was right, as the poets we read as children many decades ago often were. For there, up in the leaden skies, was the telltale "V" of birds in flight. Her premonition ("something whispered 'frost'") was redeemed, too; here in swing-state Wisconsin, the frost on the "sagging orchards" that had "steamed with amber spice" sparkled in the early morning sun. And a day later, true to her prediction, "though the fields lay golden, something whispered, 'snow,'" -- and soon the rural roads shone in a confectioners' — sugar white.
kAm%96 492?86 :? D62D@? 42>6 H:E9 2 CFD9 96C6 A@=:E:42==J 2D H6==]k^Am
kAm%96 =2DE 52JD @7 E96 a_a_ 42>A2:8? 92G6 366? 2 3=FC — @7 42?5:52E6 G:D:ED[ @7 A@== C6DF=ED[ @7 DEF7765 >2:=3@I6D[ @7 25G6CE:D6>6?ED] %96 EH@ 42>A2:8?D 92G6 DA6?E S`a_]` >:==:@? :? 25G6CE:D:?8 D:?46 E96 A2CEJ 4@?G6?E:@?D[ H:E9 2 Sbb]f >:==:@? 25G2?E286 E@ 7@C>6C ':46 !C6D:56?E y@6 q:56?]k^Am
kAm~C5:?2C:=J[ E92E H@F=5 5@>:?2E6 E96 4@?G6CD2E:@?[ 2=@?8 H:E9 E96 vC66? q2J !24<6CDV DEC@?8 }u{ DE2CE 2?5 >2J36 2 5632E6 23@FE E96 36DE C64:A6 7@C 566A\7C:65 4966D6 4FC5 Wa 4FAD 3FEE6C>:=<[ a 4FAD =286C 366C ]]]X] }@E E9:D J62C] %96 AC6D:56?E:2= 42>A2:8? :D 36:?8 4@?5F4E65 2>:5 2 5625=J 4@C@?2G:CFD DA:<6 E92E[ 2=@?8 H:E9 E96 E2C86E:?8 @7 3@E9 A2CE:6D[ 92D D6E (:D4@?D:? 2A2CEj 2E @?6 A@:?E :? E96 =2DE H66<[ >@C6 E92? 92=7 @7 E96 ?2E:@?VD E@A `d 4:E:6D[ 2D C2?<65 3J G:CFD 42D6D A6C 42A:E2[ H6C6 :? (:D4@?D:?]k^Am
kAm%9:D :D 2 42>A2:8? DE66A65 :? DJ>3@=:D> — 2?5 :? @G6CE@?6D @7 E96 A2DE] %96 AC6D:56?E:2= 4@?E6DE :D 2 AC@IJ 7@C 2 566A6C 7:89E 96C6] ~? @?6 D:56 :D E96 AC@8C6DD:G:D> @7 #@36CE Qu:89E:?8 q@3Q {2u@==6EE6[ 2 8@G6C?@C[ D6?2E@C 2?5 !C@8C6DD:G6 !2CEJ AC6D:56?E:2= 42?5:52E6 H9@D6 ?@E:@?D @7 A@=:E:42= 2?5 =23@C C67@C> DA:==65 36J@?5 (:D4@?D:?VD 3@C56CD] ~? E96 @E96C :D E96 @FE=@@< @7 7@C>6C w@FD6 $A62<6C !2F= #J2?[ H9@ A6CD@?:7:65 E96 C6DFC86?46 @7 pJ? #2?5\DEJ=6 4@?D6CG2E:D> :? (2D9:?8E@?[ 2?5 @7 v@G] $4@EE (2=<6C[ H9@ =67E E96 |25:D@? DE2E69@FD6 =2DE J62C 3FE D@H65 2 ?6H[ >FD4F=2C 4@?D6CG2E:D> :? E96 764F?5 7:6=5D @7 (:D4@?D:?]k^Am
kAmp?5 @?6 @E96C 6=6>6?E @7 E96 A2DE =@@>D =2C86]k^Am
kAmu@FC J62CD 28@[ 7@C>6C $64C6E2CJ @7 $E2E6 w:==2CJ #@592> r=:?E@? — A6C92AD C6DA@?5:?8 E@ 72G@C23=6 A@== D@F?5:?8D[ A6C92AD @G6C4@?7:56?E[ A6C92AD ;FDE :? @G6CD:89E — 5:5 ?@E 42>A2:8? :? (:D4@?D:?] %CF>A 42>6 96C6 D:I E:>6D] u@C (:D4@?D:? G@E6CD[ E96 r=:?E@? D:? @7 @>:DD:@? DEF?8[ E9@F89 2 =2E6C DEF5J AF3=:D965 3J &?:G6CD:EJ @7 s2JE@? A@=:E:42= D4:6?E:DE r9C:DE@A96C s6G:?6 :? E96 %96 u@CF>[ 2 D49@=2C=J ;@FC?2= @7 4@?E6>A@C2CJ A@=:E:4D[ 4@?4=F565 E92E :E H2D QF?4=62CQ H96E96C r=:?E@? QH@F=5 92G6 82:?65 G@E6D[ @C 6G6? H@?[ :? (:D4@?D:? 925 D96 42>A2:8?65 :? E92E DE2E6]Qk^Am
kAm}@ >2EE6C] %96 G:D:ED E92E r=:?E@? 5:5?VE >2<6 92G6 E2<6? @? 2 7@=<=@C6 2== E96:C @H?[ H:E9 s@?2=5 %CF>A E2<:?8 @? D@>6E9:?8 @7 E96 2FC2 @7 E96 Q2>3:E:@FD 8F6DE[Q E96 E:E=6 @7 @?6 @7 E96 >@DE 36=@G65 QEH:46\E@=5 E2=6DQ 3J }2E92?:6= w2HE9@C?6] q:56?[ 56E6C>:?65 ?@E E@ >2<6 (:D4@?D:? 2 EH:46\E@=5 E2=6[ 92D D6E 5@H? 96C6 D6G6C2= E:>6D]k^Am
kAm%96C6 2C6 G6CJ 76H F?564:565 G@E6CD 96C6 — E96 t=64E:@?D #6D62C49 r6?E6C 2E E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 (:D4@?D:? 2E |25:D@? AFED E96 7:8FC6 2E b A6C46?E286 A@:?ED — 3FE >2?J F?46CE2:?E:6Dik^Am
kAm(:== E96 A@=:46 D9@@E:?8 @7 y24@3 q=2<6 2?5 E96 DF3D6BF6?E 4:G:4 F?C6DE :? z6?@D92 255 FC86?4J E@ E96 q:56? 42>A2:8? @C 7@CE:7J E96 G@E6CD H9@ C6DA@?5 E@ %CF>AVD =2H\2?5\@C56C 6?EC62E:6Dn (92E H:== 36 E96 67764E @7 62C=J :?\A6CD@? G@E:?8[ H9:49 3682? ~4E] a_ 2?5 H9:49[ :? @?6 @7 E96 :C@?:6D @7 E96 D62D@?[ 92D AC@5F465 =@?8 =:?6D — E9@F89 @?6 @7 E96 C2E:@?2=6D H2D E@ >:?:>:K6 E96 52?86CD @7 DAC625:?8 E96 G:CFD :? 4C@H565 A@==:?8 A=246D] (92E H2D E96 J:6=5 @7 E96 677@CED @7 E96 25G@424J 8C@FA ~AA@CEF?:EJ (:D4@?D:?[ H9:49 D6E @FE E@ 4@?G6CE %CF>A G@E6CD E@ E96 q:56? 42>Ank^Am
kAmp?5 E9:Di (:== q=24< G@E6CD H9@ 5:5 ?@E C2==J E@ E96 r=:?E@? 42>A2:8?[ 6DA64:2==J :? |:=H2F<66[ 7=@@5 E96 A@==D 7@C q:56?n %FC?@FE :? |:=H2F<66[ H96C6 q=24<D 4@>A@D6 bf]e A6C46?E @7 E96 A@AF=2E:@?[ 76== 3J 23@FE c`[___ G@E6D 36EH66? a_`a[ E96 =2DE E:>6 q2C24< ~32>2 H2D @? E96 32==@E[ 2?5 a_`e] %92E >2J 36 E96 564:D:G6 724E@C :? 2 DE2E6 E92E %CF>A H@? 3J aa[fcg G@E6D — 23@FE 92=7 E96 ?F>36C @7 E96 A6@A=6 H9@ 5:5 ?@E G@E6 :? E96 DE2E6VD =2C86DE 4:EJ]k^Am
kAmq6J@?5 |:=H2F<66[ >F49 @7 E96 7@4FD :D @? E96 E9C66 (~( 4@F?E:6D — (2F<6D92[ ~K2F<66 2?5 (2D9:?8E@?— E92E D:E @FED:56 |:=H2F<66 2?5 92G6 2 9:DE@CJ @7 #6AF3=:42? 277:=:2E:@? 3FE 2C6 A@AF=2E65 3J E96 4@==686\65F42E65 DF3FC32? H@>6? H9@ 2C6 A2CE @7 q:56?VD 32D6] q67@C6 %CF>A G:D:E65 E96C6 =2DE H66< — 2E E96 96:89E @7 E96 G:CFD DA:<6[ H:E9 ?6H C64@C5D @7 :?764E:@?D 36:?8 D6E 52:=J — q:56? C6=62D65 2 DE2E6>6?E A@:?E:?8 @FE E96 562E9 @7 cf (:D4@?D:? G:CFD G:4E:>D :? 2 D:?8=6 9@CC:7:4 52J[ 2C8F:?8 E92E QE96 D25 ECFE9 :D E92E :E 5:5?VE 92G6 E@ 36 E9:D 325]Q %CF>A 9@FCD =2E6C E@=5 DFAA@CE6CD :? (2F<6D92[ H9:49 96 H@? 3J dh A6C46?E :? a_`e[ E92E E96 4@F?ECJ H2D QC@F?5:?8 E96 4@C?6CQ @? E96 G:CFD]k^Am
kAm%96 EH@ >6? H:== 4@?E:?F6 E@ 5632E6 E92E[ 2?5 >F49 6=D6]k^Am
kAmw6C6[ E96 4@?E@FCD @7 E96 32EE=6 92G6 366? =2:5 :? C646?E J62CD] %96 s6>@4C2ED 2C6 DECF88=:?8 E@ 92?8 @?E@ E96 C6>?2?ED @7 E96 }6H s62= 4@2=:E:@?[ 7C2J65 2D >2?F724EFC:?8 ;@3D 5C:7E65 2H2J] %96 #6AF3=:42?D 92G6 DFAA@CE65 :?:E:2E:G6D DF49 2D E96 u@Ir@?? AC@;64E[ H9:49 %CF>A 2?5 v@G] (2=<6C AC@>:?6?E=J 324<65 E@ 3C:?8 9:89\E649 ;@3D E@ D@FE9H6DE6C? (:D4@?D:?] %9@F89 :E H@? 2 4@?EC24E E@ 3F:=5 G:CFD\C6=2E65 C6DA:C2E@CD[ u@Ir@?? 92D?VE C6>@E6=J C6566>65 E96 %CF>A\(2=<6C 9@A6D[ E9@F89 :E DE2?5D E@52J 2D 2 DJ>3@= @7 #6AF3=:42? 677@CED E@ H@@ E96 ?@?\4@==686\65F42E65 H@C<6CD H9@ 92G6 366? 5:DA=2465 :? E96 >@56C? 64@?@>J]k^Am
kAmQ%9:D 92D 366? E96:C 6=64E@C2= 32D6 7@C D@>6 E:>6 ?@H[ 6DA64:2==J 2D F?:@? ;@3D 92G6 7=65 E96 DE2E6[Q D2:5 y@9? $2G28:2?[ 2? 9:DE@C:2? 2E |:=H2F<66VD p=G6C?@ r@==686]k^Am
kAm%9@F89 :E H2D `g 568C66D :? H9:E6\4CFDE65 t2F r=2:C6 E96 @E96C 52J[ A@=:E:4D :? (:D4@?D:? C6>2:? H9:E6\9@E] q@E9 42?5:52E6D =:<6=J H:== E@F49 5@H? :? E96 DE2E6 :? E96 =2DE 76H 52JD @7 E96 42>A2:8?[ 7@C[ 2D u:6=5[ H9@ 5:65 :? `hcd[ HC@E6[ AC6D4:6?E=J[ Q$@>6E9:?8 E@=5 E96 H:=5 866D6^xE H2D E:>6 E@ 7=J[^$F>>6C DF? H2D @? E96:C H:?8D[^(:?E6C :? E96:C 4CJ]Qk^Am
kAmk6>ms2G:5 |] $9C:3>2? :D E96 7@C>6C 6I64FE:G6 65:E@C @7 E96 !:EED3FC89 !@DE\v2K6EE6] w6 42? 36 C624965 2E k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i5D9C:3>2?oA@DE\82K6EE6]4@>Qm5D9C:3>2?oA@DE\82K6EE6]4@>k^2m[ @C 7@==@H 9:> @? %H:EE6C 2E $9C:3>2?!v] %96 !F=:EK6C !C:K6\H:??:?8 ;@FC?2=:DE 92D 2 G242E:@? 9@>6 :? z62CD2C86]k^6>mk^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.