IN SILENT WOODS 



95 



and the ruffed grouse scratches dry Beech leaves 

 together, to nest her cream -brown eggs and at the 

 same time help conceal them. These untroubled 

 woods are where no roadway, nor bush -cutting, nor 

 trampling to and fro has encouraged weedy under- 

 brush, or caused the deep black soil to wash away 

 between the rocks ; where, on moist 

 plateaus, catching rare sunlight on its 

 pinkish, sharply recurved petals, the 

 Shooting Star is found. 



"Nothin' much that kin move seems 

 to like the very big woods for livin' 

 in," said Time o' Year one day, 

 as he returned from the Hem- 

 lock ridge, axe on shoulder. 



He was glancing at a stalk 

 of blackening Indian Pipe, 

 which was the flower of the day 

 in the buttonhole of his shirt. 

 Though he protested at 

 the wholesale uprooting 

 of wild things, he always 

 wore a flower in shirt, 

 vest, or coat, as season 

 and garment varied; and 

 when frost raised its fin- 



