The Brook flows leisurely through the woods, loitering in the sunny 

 spots as if loath to leave. 



Hermit Thrush Brook 



Martha Quick 



Among the slightly rolling meadows which lie northeast of 

 Ithaca, a brook is born. It starts out upon its journey to the lake, 

 fed by many cool springs which bubble up through the soft spots 

 of the great crown swamp. 



This swamp extends for about a mile, slightly bending toward the 

 north. It becomes wider or narrower in certain places, bordered 

 on either side by fertile fields which gently over-shadow and feed it. 



The swamp was once filled with many large trees. These have 

 fallen at various places, while others, decayed or dead, stand like 

 sentinels on guard. A second growth of small pines, hickories, elm 

 and cherry help to give a pleasant shade, while along the edges, like 

 a neat border is a thickly grown hedgerow of elm, ash and ironwood 

 with plenty of wild cherry to fill up the spaces. All kinds of swamp 

 loving plants grow here. Sedges, cattails and hellebore form the 

 bright, green covering while marsh marigolds and other smaller 

 flowers lend it glowing color. Hundreds of shy and beautiful 



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