196 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW 



motherly old soul and was easy to climb, and they could sit and 

 read by the hour among her branches, while she smiled agreeably 

 on all around her. The Lilacs were her particular pets, and evi- 

 dently the Family were fond of them too, for they were planted in 

 groups here and there all over the Place, and in long lines to mark 

 the north and south boundaries, and again to shut off the view 

 of the Chicken-yard from the House. 



"How do you doV they shouted in chorus gleefully, struggling 

 frantically to be the first in the race to burst their buds, in which 

 they always succeeded! They were a cheerful lot, and kept 

 the others in constant good humor, urging them on during the 

 doubtful days of May, when it sometimes seemed too chilly to 

 bloom, spreading their fresh, sweet perfume on the air, and get- 

 ting the vagrant Breezes to carry their message far and near. 



"Spring has come!" they said. "She may be a trifle fickle, 

 and she likes to play tricks, but don't pay attention to her moods. 

 When she hides, we just have a breathing-spell, and the minute 

 she appears again, we take a fresh start, and the first thing she 

 knows, we're all in bloom ! It's like going in for a salt water swim, 

 the first plunge is chilly, but after that it's glorious fun to play 

 with the Waves! At least, that's what the Children tell us." 



"That's all very well," said the Flowering Cherry, "when you're 

 young and energetic, but when your body is all twisted like mine 

 and the top of your head has been taken off ever so many times 

 to make room for that plaguey West Wind to blow straight at 

 the Wind-mill, you won't feel quite so much like giving advice!" 



"Oh, nonsense, you dear old lady," said the cheerful Lilacs, 

 "you know we're just as old as you are really, only we don't 

 grow so large, and we belong to the old-fashioned Country People 

 who are not easily discouraged and are used to hard work in 

 every kind of weather, whereas you belong to the ornamental 

 class and naturally have more leisurely ways. Now your first 

 cousins the Red Cherries are splendid workers, and they are 

 almost as quick at blossoming as we are! They do stain the 

 Children's clothes most dreadfully later on, when their fruit is 

 ripe, but that doesn't stop the Children any, you can't keep 

 them away when Cherries are ripe!" 



The Red Cherry trees all giggled and waved their branches. 

 They loved the Lilacs' fun, though they didn't have much to say 



