THE BEECH WOODS 



tion of the heat. Not a leaf in the 

 Beech Woods stirred. Scarcely a bird 

 note broke the apathy of the sultry 

 days. Now little whirlwinds started 

 seemingly from nowhere, catching up 

 the dust and dead grass and whirling 

 them high in the air, making the 

 branches of the trees twist and thrash 

 about. Little vagrant breezes began to 

 stir among the leaves, touching a 

 branch here and passing on to one 

 there, whispering of greater things to 

 come. 



Now on the horizon to the South- 

 west a great anvil-shaped cloud lay 

 half-obscured in the haze, and thunder 

 caps pushed up their rounded white 

 domes on either flank. The little 

 breezes that were playing about joined 

 hands, and with one accord blew from 

 the East, while the clouds in the West 

 gradually rose higher and higher to- 

 wards the zenith. The flicker called re- 

 peatedly from the woods, giving his 

 " rain " cry, and the tree toads voiced 

 their welcoming song. Song sparrows 

 and robins woke to life and added their 

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