THE BEECH WOODS 



Farther along the path the dogwood 

 was a bower of white, and its strong 

 perfume filled the air, blending with 

 that of the flowers beneath and the 

 apple blossoms which came floating to 

 the woods from the orchard near by. 

 The mandrake with its umbrella-like 

 top crowded the open side of a little 

 knoll and the budding bellwort grew 

 thickly about. A brave jack-in-the- 

 pulpit stood facing a company of tril- 

 liums, some white, some red, and all 

 attentive, while a cluster of violets near 

 by listened with rare humility. Some- 

 where unseen, perhaps Pan was play- 

 ing the music of this woodland service 

 — who knows? 



Keturning homeward this day the 

 Neighbour started a whippoorwill at 

 the edge of the woods, which revived 

 old associations connected with this 

 bird. At the time of life when the 

 Neighbour as a boy was just tall enough 

 to peer over the fourth rail of the old 

 snake fence by the woods, " Summer " 

 was proclaimed by the first call of the 

 whippoorwill, and this in turn was 

 celebrated by the removal of boots and 

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