THE COUNTRY LIFE. 241 



you walk in sunlight ten are in shade. Thus, 

 partly concealed in full day, the forest always 

 contains a mystery. The idea that there may 

 be something in the dim arches held up by 

 the round columns of the beeches lures the 

 footsteps onwards. Something must have been 

 lately in the circle under the oak where the 

 fern and bushes remain at a distance and wall 

 in a lawn of green. There is nothing on the 

 grass but the upheld leaves that have dropped, 

 no mark of any creature, but this is not de- 

 cisive ; if there are no physical signs, there is 

 a feeling that the shadow is not vacant. In the 

 thickets, perhaps the shadowy thickets with 

 front of thorn it has taken refuge and eluded 

 us. Still onward the shadows lead us in vain 

 but pleasant chase." 



Next let us rise with the rustic and follow 

 him as he begins his day's work : 



" The pale beams of the waning moon still 

 cast a shadow of the cottage, when the labourer 

 rises from his heavy sleep on a winter's morn- 

 ing. Often he huddles on his things and slips 

 his feet into his thick ' water-tights ' which 



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