Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-10-13

ilFields as green as when the summer
birds caroled above them, woods more
gorgeous with innumerable hues and
tints of ripening leaves than blooming
parterre, are spread beneath the azure
sky ,whose deepest color is reflected with
intenser blue in lake and stream. In
them against this color, are set the scar
let and gold of every tree upon their
Drinks. the painted hills, the clear cut
mountain peaks, all downward pointing
to the depths of this neither sky.
Overhead, thistledown and the silken
balloon of the milkweed float on their
zephyr waited course. silver notes
against the blue and above them are
the black cohorts of crows in their strag
Cling retreat to softer climes. Now the
dark column moves steadily onward,
now veers in copfusion from some sus-
pected or discovered danger, or pauses
to assail with a harsh clangor some
sworn enemy of the sable brotherhood.
Their gray clad smaller cousins, the
jays, are for the most part silently indus
trious among the gold and bronze OF the
beeches, fitting to and fro with flashes
of blue as they gather mast, but now
and then findiug time to scod al intruder
with an endless variety Of discordant
cutlery.
How sharp the dark shadows are cut
against the suulit fields, and in their
gloom how brightly shine the first fallen
leaves and the starry bloom of the asters
In cloudy days and even when rain is
falling the depths Of the woods are not
dark, for the bright foliage seems to give
forth light and casts no shadows beneath
the lowering sky.
The scarlet naples glow. the golden
leaves of poplar and birch shine through
the misty veil, and the deep purple OF
the ash CLOVIS as il it held smouldering
fire that the first breeze might fan into a
flame, and through all this luminous
LEAKAGE one NAV trace branch and twig
as a wick in candle flame. Only the
evergreens are dark as when they bear
their steadfast green in the desOlation Of
winter, and only they brood shadows.
In such weather the woodland air IL
laden with the light burden of odor, the
fain ly pungent aroma of the ripened
leaves, more subtle thsn the scent of
pine OF fir. vet as apparent to the scent.
as delightful and more rare, for in the
round of the year its days are few, while
in summer sunshine and winter wind, 10
springtime shower and autumnal frost,
pine, spruce. balsam, hemloek and cedar
distil their perfume and lavish it on the
breeze or gale OF every season
Out of the marshes, now changing
their universal green to brown and
bronze and gold. floats finer odor tan
their common reek of oozs and sodden
weeds-a spicy tang Of frost ripened
flags and the fainter breath of the land
watd border of ferns; and with these
also is mingled the subtle pungeney Of
the woodlands, where the pepperidge Is
burning out in blaze OF scsriet. ana the
yellow fame Of the poplars fiiekers in
the lightess breeze
The air ia Of a temper neither too hot
nor too cold, and In what il now rather
the good gay wood than green wood,
there are no longer Fostering insects
to worry the flesh and trouble the spirit.
The flies bask in half torpid Incidence,
the tormenting whine of the mosquito is
heard no more. OF insect life one hears
little but the mellow drone Of the bum
Bile bee, the noontide chirk of the crick-
ct and the husky rustic of the dragon
fiy's gauzy wing.
Unwise are the tent jewellers who have
folded their canvas and departed to the
shelter of more stable roof trees, for
these are days that should be made the
most of, days that have brought the
perfected ripeness Of the year and dis.
plsy it in the fullness Of its glory
Forest and Stream