Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-08-13

.-rhe heavens declare the glory OF Coz
and the armament shOweth His handi-
work. Day unto day uttereth His speech.
and night unto night shOweth knOwl-
edge"
I think that l must he a very uncer-
tain quantity when IL comes 10 express
Ing a preference for any especial season
I have seen days and nights in winter
that seemed - have come fresh from
our heavenly Fathers hands as an OBJ
3ect lesson Of His great love for US
Aeafn I have seen the days OF early
spring when the ground seemed covered
with a robe OF vivid green with a metallic
ulster that no weaver nor artist couiu
Put there. In summer when there was
maturity OF vegetation. when the treeS
seemed 10 say Behold thy Father
bounty. we have been fed by earth. air
and sky to bring TO perfection this evil
dcnce OF His love for the children VINO
thank Him and those who do not. / have
seen those trees putting on their gar
rnents Of dissolution. seeming 10 try TO
show Us that as their work neared com
pietion they grew even more beautlIuL
The Garnet that was the envy and the
despafr OF craftsmen changing to a rus
set with perhaps splotches OF crimson
ana cold flung there by the winds that ;"
shorf a time ago played In the branches
and rtf7ed the tall grass and swept the
waters Of the lake. And when 1t comes 10
tatinr the season straight through 1 am
equally ''daffy" about them ana must
say that I enjoy them as they came. anu
try 70 be happy with them in rotation
mere Is a decorative effect. and an
unltftfur OF ones ideals as one watches
the gradual unfolding Of each season and
is decline. Jeffries in that exquisite 1T
tie scene. Pageant OF Summer" tells us
how a day affects him when he can enjoy
Il IN the country. II linger in the midst
az the long grass. the luxury OF leaves
ana the song In the very air 1 seem as
N 7 could feel the glowing life the sun
shine gives and the south wind calls TO
being TIE endless grass. the endless
leaves the immense strength OF the oak
rxraudinR. the unalloyed JOY Of finch ana
hfa~z bird: from all Of them I receive n
little In the black birds song enc note
Is mine; in the dance OF the leaf shadows
the formed maze is for me, though the
motion is theirs: the flowers with thou-
sand faces that have collected the kisses
~ the morning Feeling with them / re-
ra4we some Of their fullness OF life. Never
could I have enough: never stay long
enough The hours when the mind
. Is absorbed by beauty are the only hours
when we really live. so that the longer
we can stay among these things so much
the more Is snatched from inevitable
Time These are the only hours that
are not wasted-these hours that ABSORB
the soul and MI It with beauty. This Is
real life and all else is Illusion or mere
endurance. To be beautiful and TO be
calm. without mental fear. Is the ideal OF
Nature. II I cannot achieve II can, at,
least think IT,
That there is much in the country every
s.Ir-ugnded person win admit, but let US
not 20 to the extreme and slight the
beauties that the dweIler in the city can
ensov II she viii open her eyes and see
Unfortunately. there are people In town
and country who have eyes and see not,
ears and hear not" 1 would that could
helm them. but fear they are not TO be
helped By anything that I can say TO
them. I hope that you saved that ecstatic
thing that DR.. VanDyke wrote OF the pic
lures that came 10 him when he wanted
20 10 a-fshing That was written in the
heart Of the city. end by a man whose
eyes have garnered the beauties OF hill
and dale. land and sky. a.d the waters
OF many countries
am glad that Nature study has more
attention paid TO II now. some OF the hap
piest hours I spent in Japan were those
speut with the girls who took the Nature
studies In the grass. among the flowers.
along the seashore and on the sides OF the
mountain we watched for developments
and saw the beauties tnat untolueu udg
By day.
You who live in town have many things
70 cheer you in your cOmmuning with
Nature. and Wordsworth. whose poems
are 50 fun OF the beauties OF the country
has one that all OF US who have lived I'm
large cities can apply 70 our own place Of
abode. although he was writing OF Lon
don He says:
Earth has not anything to show more
fair:
Dull would be he Of soul who could
pass by
sight 50 touching In It's majesty:
This city now doth. like a garment wear
The beauty Of the morning; silent. bare.
ships towers. domes. theatres. and tenn
pies lie
Open unto the fields. and 20 the sky;
All bright and glittering in the smoke
less air.
Never did sun more beautifully steep
IN his first splendor. valley, rock and
hill:
Ne'er saw I. never felt. a calm so deep.
The river glideth at its own sweet will;
Dear God. the very houses seem asleep:
And all that might heart is lying still"
Summer has now reached her zenith.
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