THE ANGLER'S SOUVENIR. 



257 



ledge around the edge of each, as if wishful, yet 

 afraid, to overflow it. 



But this is all about drought, not rain. True, 

 but we describe the subject of our paper by 

 antithesis. But do you wish for rain ? then, see, 

 the haze is lifting from the weather-gleam, the 

 distant woods assume a shape, the hills stand out 

 bold and clear, sound travels far, the flies are 

 doubly annoying, they seem to sting where they 

 alight upon your flesh. The gnats throng close to 

 the earth, and the swallows follow them ; the dust 

 eddies in the roads, and the birds shake themselves 

 and twitter in the bushes. The clouds gather, a 

 silence falls over all. Pat comes the first drop, and 

 then down it comes, the blessed rain. The leaves 

 of the trees expand and shake under its downpour, 

 the branches sway and bend under the beating 

 drops, and there is a sound through the woods as 

 of a mighty wind. 



" How beautiful is the rain, 

 After the dust and heat ; 

 In the broad and fiery street, 

 In the narrow lane, 



How beautiful is the rain ! 



How it clatters along the roofs, 



Like the tramp of hoofs ; 



How it gushes and struggles out, 



From the throat of the overflowing spout ! 



Across the window-pane 



It pours and pours, 



