NOVEMBER 

 EVENING FROST 



CORSE 



DAYS IN MY GARDEN 



run through the fallen leaves, and the sharply uttered 

 ' cock, cock,' accompanied by the whirr of wings, 

 betrays a startled old cock pheasant ; the harsh 

 noisy cries of screaming scolding jays ; a bunny 

 charging down the path, scenting danger, crouches a 

 moment, stamps and is gone ; the rattling chatter of 

 frightened blackbird from under holly-bush, again the 

 wily pheasant's cry all betoken danger ; we stand 

 and wait : across the ride the culprit steals Reynard, 

 in all his red furry magnificence, with grey-white 

 throat and black-tipped prick ears. 'Cock, cock': 

 he slinks away as if ashamed, and well he may be, for 

 his errands are evil and his methods are sly. 



Outside the wood, we seem to feel each minute 

 colder than the last and hurrying darkness falls. 

 Once as we passed a bank of tangled broom, the 

 heavy crop of black seed pods sent back our thoughts 

 to sunny days and golden bloom, for, pausing, we 

 heard a running fire of little ' snicks,' as the con- 

 tracting cold shrank and twisted the hard seed cases. 

 Back, too, went our thoughts to downs of ' blossomed 

 furze ' when, resting 



Beside yon straggling fence that skirts the way 

 With blossomed furze unprofitably gay, 



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