WILD PASTURES 



he knew about farm work except calling 

 the cows. 



Every blue jay is a born tease, and in 

 the late August drought goes about cry- 

 ing " Rain, rain," because he knows there 

 will be no rain. He does it merely to 

 fool the pasture people and then chuckle 

 in his phonograph twang over their 

 misery when no rain comes. 



Yesterday when he smelt the south 

 wind and saw that sky pallor he stopped 

 calling " Rain, rain," for he knew it was 

 coming. Instead he fluttered round and 

 round the pasture, ducking in among the 

 boughs of the pines and ejaculating, as 

 if he were surprised to find it so, " Clear, 

 clear." I fancy all the wild creatures 

 of wood and pasture know the signs 

 better than I do and could announce the 

 rain if they would long before I know 

 that it is coming. All the outdoor world 

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