Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-05
SHADOWS OF CLOUDS.
Lmpressiveness of the Play of Light
and Shade.
From the London Globe.

From the London Globe.
Town jewellers know nothing of them.
They may notice once In awhile the clouds
overhead. Occasionally. on an April day,
perhaps. some lounger in the streets may
observe the beauteous contrast between the
floating isle of white fieecy cloud and the
surrounding sea of blue, which even the
smoke of a myriad chimneys cannot alto
gether dull nor rob Of it's brilliant azure;
but cloud is too much the normal canopy
of city skies for 1t to attract more than a
passing notice at any time. And If the
clouds attract but scant attention, the
cloud shadows are altogether ignored, for
the simple reason that they cannot be seen.
The giant shadows of the passing clouds
To the nature lover the white clouds that
dot the summer skies are perpetual feast.
Il have lived a good deal on Clouds" said
Richard Jefferies in the paper which he
wrote shortly before his death: "they have
been meat to me often; they bring some
thing to the spirit which even the trees do
not" Their shadows sweep over the
meadows through which runs the alder
fringed stream. over the fields where the
scarlet and gold Of the popped wheat, the
tall fragile spires Of the oats, and the beau
tiful bearded barley are falling before the
rafting reaper and binder They chase one
another swiftly over the open commons and
beathS and across the rounded TANKS OF
the downs; but they can only be seen in
perfection on the sea or on the slopes of the
great hills.
so variable as has been lately, the expert
ence of most holiday makers the seaside
visitor. as he lies on the beach with his
back propPed against sheltering groyne
can watch the panoramic play Of light and
shade on the face of Father Ocean The
milk-white foam and marbled water of the
spent wave. the creamy edges of the ad-
vancing breakers, torn and ragged as the
strong wind off the sea prematurely sets
their crests rolling shOreward, shine daz-
Zlingly in the strong sunlight. Further out
the heaving waters glisten like a gray-green
shifting curve-the trembling sheen on the
surface fading away to the line Of the hori-
zOn. Then swiftly and silently comes the
shadow of passing cloud. and as it sweeps
over the face of the deep the colors die out
The CLINT and sparkle are gone; the beauty
of the foam is dulled: the part of the sea
obscured by the cloud is broken plain of
gray. heaving water-ominous, threatening.
A few moments and the shadow passes, and
once again the wondrous transformation is
effected and the glories of light are reveal
ed More effective. perhaps. is the same
scene viewed from a height. Looking down
from the high cliffs the sea Is one vast
tremulous, shining floor. The breakers far
below are invisible, though the muffled roar
of their ceaselesS thunder fills the ear and
the surface of the sea looks almost level-a
great stretch of glittering water. And as
overhead in the summer blue, pursue one
another swiftly across this shining floor
the constant change is an endless feast to
the eye of the observer on his high watch
tower.
And yet, beautiful as these seascapes are,
the passing of the cloud shadows the play
oe light and shade on the slopes of hill or
mountain, are even more impressive, q