"At times when tired out by life's petty worries, surely 

 the calm of the garden can never fail to soothe and 

 refresh," 



HELEN MILMAN (In the Garden of Peace). 



SEPTEMBER 



" T TERALDED by rain" the Autumn was ushered into 

 our presence. It is upon one of these Autumn 

 dawns, buoyant and fresh, that one not only sees but feels, 

 the Summer has departed, when walking in the open soon 

 after the grey dawn-hours have grown golden with the sun 

 that rises majestically and is hovering above the eastern 

 horizon. The mists from the fields are fast departing, their 

 departure only leaving larger jewels upon every leaflet. Hung 

 from stem to stem are the spiders' dew-threaded gossamers, 

 through which the sun is glinting, making the edges sparkle 

 with brilliancy. The morn is perfectly calm, not a breath of 

 wind is stealing over the empty fields that were until quite 

 lately waving golden with the unreaped corn. Upon the 

 pathway a few dead beetles are lying, dew-drenched, gleam- 

 ing with a purple iridescence. From the gardens passed 

 in this September dawn a brilliant posy could indeed be 

 gathered, comprising the helianthus, asters, gladiolus, 

 coreopsis, phlox, and the still lingering, graceful Shirley 

 poppies. In the corner of many a cottage garden the purple 

 umbels of the elderberries are fast arriving at that stage to 

 be of service to the careful housewife. The nasturtiums and 

 dahlias are among the gayest blossoms of the garden, but, 

 alas ! when the first frost comes their foliage will be the 

 first to wither. The blossoms of Anemone japonica, the 

 palest of Autumn flowers, stand out well among so many 

 bright flowers and golden leaves, resembling the white rose 



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