Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-03-13
THIS AND THAT
By Charles E. TraceDeIl.
March Is to April 10.


"Wistaria, woven moonlight, drapery
of fairyland, cast a magic spell in yards
and gardens. The forests break out in
floods of white-it is the dogwood max
ing glad for the return of the sum-
Down in the valleys there is woodbine
in red, and the amorous jasmine in
pure gold filling the air with poignant
fragrance. Apple trees take us captive
in delicate but irresistible bonds, and
the cherry puts on a veil-the bride of
the year. The paulownia blows 10000
purple trumpets.
New turned burrows apparel the land
in color, and the very earth is odorous.
The Negro plowboy comes over the hill
at nightfall yodeling harmony of peace
and content, the original of which is
lost in African centuries.
X
April ! to Is.
"The vireo comes, then the Carolina
chickadee. In the skies swallows are
racing and calling in sheer JOY We
hear once more the magic flute of the
wood robin The silent kingbird is once
again building his nest above the water,
ever watchful of the circling fish hawk.
The pewee sounds his plaintive note
The heron takes his Eastward fight
at dawn and into the sunsets rosy
depths at dusk Blackbirds are chatter
ing in the ruShes. The family of
warblers arrives. Over the ponds purple
martins are dipping. BobWhite is signal
ing to his nesting mate that all is well,
else challenging any rival to a pitched
battle. The bass makes a mighty stir
in the shadows. The dolorous whippoor-
will is calling under the April moon.
April 20 to May l.
THE catbird comes with gentle songs
and at last the scarlet tanager with
summer in his throat. The fields are
sweet with clover blooms The black
berry is out in white. The wild locust
is festooned here in pure white, yonder
in mauve Honeysuckle on every road
side breathes forth sweetness and de-
light. The tall poplars lift aloft their
golden nectared cups The trees are
once again in full leaf And now the
roses, gorgeous and in infinite variety
and fairest of them the wild rose, sweet
and fragile, an idyl in bloom.
What with these and myriads of
others-worm and insect taking wing,
beetle and cricket, billowy clouds and
bluer skies, purple horizons, lingering
sunsets, long twilights, incense breathing
morns, sunshine and shadow, blasts and
breezes, showers and storms, thunders
and silences, and the bow once again
in the Sky-what shall be said?
"All is astir upon the earth. in the
air above, and the waters beneath. It
is the pageant of awakening, of return,
of revival of procreation and creation.
And the cardinal is prophet, har-
binger, and herald thereof, appropriately
clad and flttingly equipped in voice and
spirit He foreknew it all in February,
by signs familiar only to him and duly
authenticated, and when others would
not give voice to hope, he proclaimed it
in courage and joy. The forerunner
of the pageant, he will participate in
all its progress. He will mate and build
his nest, rear his young and see them
go their destined ways; day by day he
will flash through every vista, calling
and singing from morn till night; he
will see the trees bring forth their fruit
in season, and the corn in serried shocks
beneath the harvest moon; he will see
the leaves take their passing colors; he
will see his feathered fellows go; he will
see the roses fall and all the flowers
dying, and then be last to say farewell
in his most melodious sighI'"