



These September Days 171 



cows love for dessert and the young stock delight 

 in when the winter comes. 



The vapours of this fading vegetation lie close 

 to the earth in the night hours, and are seen be 

 neath the moon from the hilltops lying or lifting 

 or wavering over the meadows as the mists of the 



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streams mingle with them. The variance of the 

 atmospheric effects from those of the summer are 

 subtle, and yet few eyes do not detect, though 

 they cannot define, the change that really has 

 passed upon the face of the earth, making more 

 veil-like the blue tones of the mountains in the 

 distance. The colour now grows day by day in 

 the woodlands. Maples always lead the glory 

 with their red and golden boughs from the midst 

 of green foliage ; but rapidly follow the ash trees, 

 with their olives, bronzes and purples ; and a white 

 or gray birch turns yellow early here and there. 

 The butternuts are leafless, tis one of the trees 

 which does not adorn the fall, but simply drops 

 its withered brown leaves day by day till all be 

 gone. One of the richest effects is made by the 

 great dog-wood, whose broad cordate leaves so 

 blend sanguine hues with olive greens, as to pro 

 duce a superb harmony, which crowned by its 

 corymbs of bright red berries lights the under side 

 of the woods. There are many lesser trees and 

 shrubs which give to the wayside a wealth of 



