CHAPTER XVI 

 THE SLEEPING OF THE FIELDS 



"A Sabbath of rest unto the land." 



Leviticus xxv. 4. 



UNLESS one is blessed with a contented mind, 

 a well-filled purse, and a good digestion, it is some- 

 times difficult to fight off depression in these au- 

 tumn days, when we think we see all about us in 

 the outdoor world the work of the great reaper, 

 Death. The woodland paths are littered with fallen 

 leaves, the hardiest garden-flowers have lost their 

 brightness, and even the wild asters have doffed 

 their queenly splendors of purple and gold and are 

 gray and sombre, like Guinevere, grown old and 

 turned nun. 



Now, on stormy nights, the wind sounds a differ- 

 ent note from any that we have heard in summer, 

 and goes by with a low howl like that of some 

 strong, savage thing into whose power the poor earth 

 is soon to fall helpless. Yet the reign of the Frost 

 King is beneficent. Difficult though it may be to 



convince ourselves of this truth, in wet November 



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