IV 

 SPRING IN THE CITY 



In the city as in the country there are marks of 

 the changing seasons pregnant with suggestion Season- 

 to the nature-lover. One of the most unfailing mark 

 season-marks in town is the turning on of the 

 fountains in the public parks. How joyfully the 

 liberated water flashes through the sunlit air. It 

 seems to speak of the distant brooks that are 

 released from bondage and free to ripple along 

 their green-edged channels. There is a strange 

 fascination about the sight and sound of water 

 in motion. The sparrows dash with mad enjoy- Water m 

 ment in and out beneath the beaded, iridescent moUon 

 curves. The children pause in their play to 

 watch, with wide, wondering eyes, the sparkling 

 jets. Even the grown-up passers-by seem to fall 

 under the spell and join the little group for a few 

 wistful moments. 



In the squares it seems as though in the space 

 of twenty-four hours the grass had changed from 

 dull brown to bright green. Here, too, we are 

 convinced of the arrival of spring by the blossom- 



31 



