THE PASTURE IN NOVEMBER 267 



remaining foliage till the place glows with rich 

 lights and seems a cathedral in which one ought 

 to be able to hear the roll of anthems and the 

 chant of bowed worshippers. 



Such are its changing moods on November 

 nights and days. The constant features are the 

 pines and cedars. Summer and winter alike 

 these stand unchanged, types of constancy and 

 vigor. Yet, though there is no change, one who 

 loves them both can at a time of year see a cer- 

 tain variation. This comes with the spire-like 

 cedars, that stand so erect and point ever heaven- 

 ward in closedrawn robes of priestly solemnity, 

 in early May. Then for a few brief days the 

 glow of spring sunshine gets into their blood and 

 they gleam with hidden bloom through the olive 

 green of their gowns, lighting up like sombre 

 faces that unexpectedly smile and are flooded 

 with sunlight. The pines, too, bloom in spring, 

 but conspicuously on their branch tips. The 

 candles they light then serve only to accentuate 

 the sober, dark green of their gowns. But in 

 September the pines shed their last year's leaves 

 that have grown a little dull and rusty with long 

 service, and now stand forth clean and more 

 vividly green than at any other time of year. 



