CHAPTER XVII 



GOOD-BYE TO SUMMER 



I think the daintiest scent that can be found in 

 the woodland in these last days of September is 

 that of the coral-root flower, which looks like a 

 wan, tan ghost of a blossom, but nevertheless is 

 sweet and succulent. The plant is by no means 

 common in my world. Many a year goes by 

 without my seeing it at all. In autumn it grows 

 from among dry pine leaves, a slender spike that 

 has neither root leaves nor stem leaves, but looks 

 like the dried flower scape of some spring bloom- 

 ing plant. So protective is its coloration that I 

 stand among its blooms and look long before I see 

 them at all. It is only by getting very close that 

 one can see that the tiny forests scattered along 

 the pale brown scape are themselves beautifully 

 colored with purple and white on the same soft 

 tan foundation as the scape. They have, too, the 

 quaintly mysterious formation of all orchid 

 blooms and that alluring, elusive odor which 

 must be sought intimately to be known. You 



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