1 68 WE WILL GO TO WORK. 



comes sighing in from the ocean, the avant 

 courier of. the coming storm, he makes eveiy 

 moment tell in the putting out of plants, know 

 ing that the refreshing rain-drops can do more 

 for them in one hour than can be done by days 

 of shading and watering. But with us the thun- 

 der gusts seem to hide behind the mountains till 

 all prepared, and then to swoop down so sud- 

 denly that we are flying for shelter from the big 

 drops before we realized that they were com- 

 ing. Only too often they raise their black 

 heads in the west, and seem coming right down 

 upon us with such abundant promise that hope 

 and expectation are raised to the highest pitch ; 

 then suddenly, as if attracted by some blue 

 Highland in the distance, they appear to change 

 their minds, and, like the Levite in the parable, 

 "pass by on the other s'de." If, beguiled by 

 hopes of a shower, you have set out plants 

 largely, then watering and shading is your only 



