YOUNG 

 EEC 



LEAVES 



THE BEECH WOOD 



dark, the moss deep olive-green, while, just beyond, 



sun-shafts break through and light up gnarled limbs 



of silver-grey hung with huge sprays of 



yellow-green leaves, so young and 



delicately frail that they must hurry 



along to thicken and grow tough 



enough to withstand the rush and 



angry blast of the mighty wind, which now in gentlest '"BEECH 



mood lifts and lightly rocks them in the great avenue 



of checkered shade. 



Yet all this in no way describes the extravagance 

 of beauty, for here the Queen of the forest holds her 

 court, and here she and Nature, unmolested by man, 

 are spending their substance with, it would seem, but 

 one aim primeval beauty. For, look where you 

 will, the glades vie with one another, all are different, 

 yet nowhere is there any single glimpse that can fail 

 to charm, and with the soft murmur of the breeze in 

 the topmost branches comes the, as yet, not too 

 frequent note of the cuckoo. 



Down that avenue are clumps of holly, their dark 

 polished green dress contrasting with the background 

 of rich brown beech leaves on the ground, and just 



83 6-2 



