THE MERRY GREENWOOD 131 



**And stores the rain," said the one in green. 



**And metes it out pure to the springs," said 

 the water-nymph, ''that the streams may be 

 clear and constant." 



And then they talked to him, and he was 

 glad to listen; for they were three very charm- 

 ing maidens, earnest and sweet in their en- 

 deavor to show that this earth should be made 

 a good abiding place for all. 



Being old, Josiah got a little rheumatic sit- 

 ting upon the ground; and as Miss Butterfly 

 spread her wings to the starting breeze and 

 Miss Waterlily floated out upon the tide, he 

 arose stiffly. 



My dear young ladies," he conceded at last, 



since I was young, things have changed; 

 there are more people and fewer trees ; and it 

 will be wiser to treat the forest as a friend 

 rather than as an enemy. We must be more 

 careful about the cutting. Yes, yes, it will 

 pay ; and I wish I had the three hundred be- 

 fore me now, I would put another end to my 

 speech. To show a man his interest is doing 

 more than making laws. I would show that 



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