22 THE FRIENDSHIP OF NATURE 



fragrance, distinctly comes the droning 

 fugue of bees, and, in a lower key, the 

 cropping of the rich grass by eager 

 cows, — a pledge of golden butter in 

 the churn. 



Follow the grass-grown road that 

 lies between the garden and the farm. 

 The orchard breath floats on before, 

 goes with you, then straying, follows 

 you, pervading everything; and, here 

 and there, beside the very wheel-tracks, 

 you find the orchard's offspring, the 

 wild crab-apple tree, and the orchard 

 birds become more shy and are wrapt 

 in reverie, as if overshadowed by the 

 mood of the wood birds. 



Go to the wood, but with a lowered 

 voice and a velvet tread, in sober, 

 thrush-like garb, so that you may pass 

 unnoticed. See how the blood is 

 stirring in the winter-chilled shrubs 

 by the path; the canes of the wild 



