THE BEECH WOODS 



wind, and then, as if the heavens 

 opened up the flood gates, the storm 

 broke and torrents of rain beat down- 

 ward wave on wave. The rattling 

 crash of thunder punctuated the steady 

 roar of the storm, and went rumbling 

 away and circling back. Before it died 

 out, the heavens were split with an- 

 other deafening peal which shook the 

 earth. Gradually the storm settled 

 into a steady downpour, which washed 

 the trees and grass and filled each little 

 river way with a foamy torrent. The 

 thirsty ground drank and drank of the 

 reviving flood. Gradually the rain 

 spent itself and stopped, but not until 

 the last cloud had lifted overhead. 



The sun broke forth again upon a 

 new world ; all clean and refreshed. In 

 the East the rainbow formed in all its 

 glorious colours, and the birds began to 

 sing and one by one poured forth his 

 full heart to the new world. The old 

 pond had been filled, and the creek for 

 the time being babbled on its accus- 

 tomed way, carrying much debris on 

 its foamy surface. 



The woods were washed and the 

 leaves shimmered and sparkled with 

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