BY THE RIVERSIDE. 113 



A close cousin of the bayberry is keeping it 

 company here, the "sweet fern," Myrica aspleni 

 folium. It, too, is blessed with a healthy fra- 

 grance through all its leaves that outlasts the life 

 of them. They seem to have been all their days 

 gathering in, by some cunning chemistry, the 

 pungent aroma of the wayward winds and the 

 kindly soil. The bark, and twigs, and leaves are 

 rich in the material serviceable for tanning pur- 

 poses. It is not a showy shrub, neither is it of 

 much service to man, but it is a pleasing feature 

 of nature, growing in waste places, covering un- 

 sightly surfaces with restful green and gracious 

 influences. 



Here this chapter must come to a close with- 

 out more than a glance here and there, where 

 one might linger long with profit if he loves 

 the life, and varied aspects in which the Maker 

 of all has made his presence known. 



