72 THE FRIENDSHIP OF NATURE 



peasants the vesper bells to round their 

 day, — the factory whistle is the New 

 World's Angelus. 



The dogs are true philosophers. 

 While we, absorbed, still look over the 

 quivering field, heat-sickened, they go 

 on before, and spying a wayside pool, 

 scatter the prim, important geese, and 

 rolling in the shallow water, drink and 

 bathe at once. Again we welcome the 

 trees; thick maples arch the road, turn- 

 ing up the silver lining of their leaves 

 in every whiff of air. Yonder is the 

 bank of elecampane and the old 

 locusts, and here are the mossy bars 

 that lead to welcome depths of shade. 

 Ben bounds over, shaking his wet coat, 

 and rolls headlong in the deep, wild 

 grass beyond; the path goes to the 

 river and he knows it very well, knows 

 every deep cold spring and muskrat 

 run, knows also that all day he may 



