EVENING RED AND MORNING GREY 



gives the brass candlesticks a finger lick of fire, shines 

 ruddy on the tablecloth, and flashes back a friendly 

 scarlet message from the square of looking-glass. Or. 

 the deep window ledge stand a row of ruddled flower 

 pots in which fine geraniums grow, behind them a tidy 

 muslin curtain stretches across the window on a tape, 

 on the sides of the window are hung a photograph or 

 two, an almanac, and a picture cut from a seed cata- 

 logue, above hangs a canary in a small cage. Only 

 the narrowest slip of window is clear, not more than 

 one clear pane, and it is through this that the evening 

 sun streams into the cottage room. In the morning 

 when our friend rises, if he finds the room flooded 

 with a clear grey light, a light matching the silver lustre 

 jugs, then he quotes his verse, to be sure, and passing his 

 neighbour says, " A fine day, to-day." 



2 



A rainbow in the morning 

 Is the shepherd's warning 

 But a rainbow at night 

 Is the shepherd's delight. 



That sign is for the shepherd and the traveller by 

 night, since no ordinary being is expected to watch for 

 rainbows by night to the detriment of his night's rest 

 and his morning temper. But the shepherd must keep 

 a keen eye to such signs, and marks, day and night, all 

 the little movements of Nature, to learn her whims. As 

 for instance, the signs of bad weather to come : 



That swallows will fly low and swiftly when the upper air is 

 charged with moisture for then insects fly low also. 



That the cricket will sing sharply. 

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