BROKEN AND SHADED LIGHT 



33 



field of blue the shadow of the cloud is cast 

 upon the earth in isolated silhouette. As the 

 cloud moves, the shadow moves too, and we have 

 that charming effect called the flying shadow. 

 If there is a stiff wind blowing and the clouds 

 are closely packed together with only loopholes 

 of blue here and there, or if the clouds are long 

 rolls of the nimbus with occasionally breaks in 

 the line through which the sunlight falls, we 

 then see that other charming effect called the 

 sun-burst. 



The sun-burst is often seen in summer 

 weather, especially if the day is hot, and the air 

 is heavy with dust and moisture. Under such 

 conditions the bright beam thrust through a 

 cloud opening makes a Jacob's ladder of light 

 from heaven to earth. The light falls in a shaft 

 very much as the pinion of the Egyptian dawn 

 rises toward the zenith, except that it is usually 

 frailer and more golden in hue. And it always 

 falls through the shadow cast by clouds just as a 

 beam of sunlight flashes into a darkened room 

 and is seen because it is surrounded by dark- 

 ness. When a cloud passes across the face of 

 the sun its edges may turn to molten silver and 

 its thicker portions glow with light, yet the 

 beam does not get through and the falling shaft 



