22 Twelve Months With 



By the accolade 



Of a green grass-blade 



Ennobled and enfeoffed. 



Now am I lord 



Of weald and sward, 



Fellow to leaf and flower! 



Brook, bee and bird 



Have passed the word 



That owns me from this hour !" 



By some such "Sylvan Ceremony," Charles 

 Shepard Parke would initiate us into the blessed 

 order of out-of-door spirits. 



Thoreau once said that sometimes when he 

 went into the woods he was alarmed to find he 

 had left his spirit behind, and that he was only 

 projecting his body on its way into the forest. 



But I am sure that one must not only be accom- 

 panied by his spirit on his outdoor rambles, but 

 that his spirit must also be "fellow to leaf and 

 flower," and in intimate correspondence with all 

 the soft, elusive and delicate sense communica- 

 tions which are transmitted by all nature to those 

 and to those only who are attuned to hear these 

 quiet messages. 



"A child of nature, that is child of God, 

 I count these lovely kindred mine." 



I would not leave the impression that this infi- 

 nite order of the spirits of nature is an exclusive 



