THE CEDARS OF NONSUCH 



Brother Middleton, when he saw there was no 

 escape for himself, apparently decided to make it 

 unpleasant for sundry persons for whom he did not 

 care. For example, he testified against one Goody 

 Christian Stevenson, who, although a kindly soul, 

 always helping her neighbors in times of sickness 

 and trouble, yet, because two small warts inside 

 her mouth did not bleed when pricked, was convicted 

 and hung eleven days after John Middleton. 



So it was with such things as these that my cedar 

 in early life was contemporary. And I marveled. 

 Then I looked toward the northeast, my mind go- 

 ing many miles beyond St. Georges to the land of 

 America and to Tennessee ; I remembered the argu- 

 ments against the teaching of Evolution, and it oc- 

 curred to me that this was only some five years 

 ago — and I marveled again ! 



If the plants of Nonsuch could, like the morning 

 stars, sing together, the chorus of Cedar and Sage 

 and Goldenrod would arise from nine-tenths of 

 them, these three natives forming the major part 

 of the trees, the shrubs and the weed-like annuals. 

 Yet there are dozens of others all represented by 

 a few plants. As I look over a list which we made 

 out in early spring, I am impressed with the charm 

 of the common names, something almost wholly 

 lacking in fish. When we return from a fishing trip 

 we have hamlets, hinds, gags, groupers, porgies, and 

 breams — titles as uncouth and meaningless as their 

 owners are graceful and beautiful. But sea-laven- 

 der, seaside goldenrod, tassel-plant, sea rocket, star- 



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