Tanglewood Lane and Skippack Creek 



And here too, in truth, is the rocky hill; 

 and so precipitous we must needs '^put on 

 the brakes" to keep from running as we 

 descend; and here also the crumbling ruin 

 of the old whitewashed stone house we boys 

 thought haunted; passing which, we are 

 once more brought to our old-time portal 

 of the very heart of things. 



For at this point a brook of sparkling 

 water, coming through the trees to the right, 

 crosses our path; and just beyond it, where 

 the bank on the same side rises gradually 

 to a height of fifteen feet and is covered 

 thick with blackberry, there confronts our 

 vision a narrow vernal labyrinth with a most 

 alluring vista of leafy loveliness looking 

 at us from the far end and inviting us to 

 make the passage and take possession. 



And now, as we respond and proceed, 

 we realize immediately that the birds have 

 truly gone before. In fact right over the 

 gateway itself, where the rill runs by, and 

 the branches are dense, and the level west- 

 ern sunlight creeps through but lazily, a 

 Wood Thrush, sitting calm and stately 



[103] 



