THE PROCESSION OF SPRING 231 



one slip out between its loosened fingers the laughing 

 spirits born of spring. 



The loveliest pearls that ever pleased a king are not 

 more lovely than the bursting buds upon the willow. 

 In significance, indeed, not half so beautiful. For 

 the pearls that hold the yellow stamens in their folds 

 are presageful of life, while the others are a product 

 of disease. 



Children love the budding willow. They call it 

 " palm," and pick it as they come to school. But very 

 soon they tire of its prettiness, and so the school-path 

 is often strewn with willow. A royal freedom is this » fS^iU 

 of childhood, that lays the whole round year under 

 impost for its play. It is enough that the willow has 

 ventured into the children's kingdom : childhood, im- , 

 perious, claims it as of right. 



Children, whose buoyant blood turns winter into 

 summer, think not of catkins as a sign of spring. But 

 suffering childhood and slow-moving age find here a 

 dear dehght. They have looked on so long and wist- 

 fully through the weary weeks of winter to where the 

 sun is playing on the green and growing wheat. And 

 so a little country child, with hip disease in a London 

 hospital, cared little for all the hothouse flowers kind 

 ladies brought her (she had so sweet a face), but lay 



