

Chapter V 

 THE OPEN FIELDS 



NE of the sights up- 

 on which my eyes 

 rest oftenest and 

 with deepest con- 

 tent is a broad 

 sweep of meadow slowly climbing the 

 western sky until it pauses at the edge of 

 a noble piece of woodland. It is a play- 

 ground of wind and flowers and waving 

 grasses. There are, indeed, days when it 

 lies cold and sad under inhospitable skies, 

 but for the most part the heavens are in 

 league with cloud and sun to protect its 

 charm against all comers. When the turf 

 is fresh, all the promise of summer is in its 

 tender green ; a little later, and it is sown 

 thick with daisies and buttercups; and as 

 the breeze plays upon it these frolicsome 

 flowers, which have known no human 

 tending, seem to chase each other in end- 

 less races over the whole expanse. I have 

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