100 AUTUMNAL LEAVES. 



twigs of this abundant riparian shrub ; the Elder 

 fruit, too green, red, purple and black con- 

 trasting with the still green leaves on the same 

 branches, whilst leaves, fruit, flower and blossom 

 are contemporaries on the picturesque sprays of 

 the Bramble. Across the river, level meadows, 

 on which cattle are quietly grazing, extend for a 

 full mile to the west and are then backed by a 

 line of trees. As we pursue our journey the 

 screen of hedges on our left disappears, leaving 

 only to interrupt the river view occasional clumps 

 of interwoven Bramble, Thistle and Nettle. At 

 the same time the river winds away from the 

 road lea-ving between us and it an intervening 

 level space of reedy, marshy, meadow-land. Pre- 

 sently a scarlet Poppy glows out from the hedge- 

 bank on our right, and almost immediately we 

 continue our way under the shelter of overarching 

 Elms whose yellowing foliage already distinctly 

 marks the advancing season pass by some cot- 

 tages and gardens, gently ascend, and momen- 

 tarily lose sight of the river and the surrounding 

 country. We are soon once more in sight of the 

 winding river, of wood, and upland meadows. 



