ST. LUKE'S SUMMER. 75 



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St. Luke's Summer The Orchard The Barberry White Haricot 

 Beans Transplanting The Rockery. 



October 15. This is St. Luke's summer, or the 

 '* Indian summer " as it is called in America. The 

 air is soft and warm and still. The yellow leaves 

 fall from the Beeches in countless numbers, but 

 slowly and noiselessly, and as if reluctant to let go 

 their hold. The rooks come back to us again 

 across the fields, and clamour among the empty 

 nests, which were their homes in spring. The 

 "remontant" Roses are putting out their latest 

 blooms, and the Antirrhinums, Mulleins, and some 

 few other flowers, show themselves " remontant " 

 also. There is an aromatic fragrance everywhere 

 from the withering leaves and from the lingering 

 flowers. 



But there is sadness with it all. We cannot 

 deceive ourselves, but we know that all is now 

 over, and that at any moment the frost may come, 

 and leave us nothing but decay and death. 



