OUTDOORS 



as blue as a violet, and the sense of utter re- 

 moteness from the towns is like wine on the 

 lips. The fresh winds blow, and occasionally 

 clouds float past. Sometimes a prairie-hawk 

 will fly across, or a lone crow; and a belated 

 duck may be seen at times with his easy, 

 graceful flight, high in air. It is usually very 

 still. The faint report of a shot-gun is heard 

 infrequently, and the rustle of the grass 

 often. The air shimmers, and the day drifts 

 slowly and royally down the pathway of the 

 sun. And in the blue-and-white vaults be- 

 tween earth and sky will come now and then 

 a gleam of white breasts and swift-flying 

 wings; a faint, sharp " tweet, tweet" a 

 parting, fading glimpse of 



" Deep-toned plovers gray, wild-whistling o'er the hill." 



18 



