SWAYING TREE TOPS 



came out of his stolid indifference, 

 and even reached out a hand to help 

 her up the step. It was the involun- 

 tary recognition of the new and 

 fresh. The man whose foot was un- 

 derneath another man's foot when 

 the conductor played " jerk " with 

 the current, swallowed his swear 

 when he caught sight of her. Again 

 along the crowded street, where men 

 and women hurried, jostling each 

 other, some weary with the day's toil, 

 others weary with hours of shop- 

 ping the spring girl has suddenly 

 appeared, whence no one knew. 

 Like the robin, she dropped on the 

 tired crowd without a warning save 

 the odor of her violets. She seemed 

 to be from another sphere. Her 

 freshness and cleanliness were not a 



[25] 



