20 By Leafy Ways. 



In May the exquisite song of the blackcap half 

 tempts us to fancy that he, after all, is the chief of 

 singers. 



It is in May that our wandering musicians delight 

 us with their sweetest lays. 



But though the world is long in waking from its 

 winter sleep, there are signs that tell us spring is near. 



' The leaf-tongues of the forest, the flower-lips of the sod : 

 The happy birds that hymn their rapture in the ear of God,' 



cheer our souls with the unmistakable promise of the 

 coming May. 



The trees, indeed, are bare, and the leaves of most 

 of them will, for weeks to come, still remain fast sealed 

 within their purple buds. But the branches of the 

 elm, whose delicate twigs stand clear-cut in exquisite 

 tracery against the sky, are fretted with powdery blos- 

 soms. The swaying boughs of the larch are jewelled 

 with bright crimson tassels. The downy plumes of 

 the willow scatter gold upon the dusky moths that 

 crowd in the twilight about their honeyed fragrance. 

 The amber buds of the chestnut are unfurling into 

 soft green fans, though it will be long ere the broad- 

 armed trees, hung all over with their pyramids of 

 blossom, hum like mighty hives with the music of the 

 bees. The tall poplar is already touched with points 

 of gold, that shimmer in the sunlight until the whole 

 tree is like a trembling flame. 



The copses are aglow with life and colour. Patches 



