COMMUTER'S WIFE 329 



I used to go on these trials, and I'm going again 

 next week. The mad baying of the hounds over 

 the hills and the break to full cry is as stimulating 

 as martial music. As to seeing the fox killed, that 

 is another thing, a necessary act, but not for the 

 sight of Barbara. 



September 27. I have left a number of plants to 

 go to seed in the garden in spite of the ragged air 

 they lend, for the sake of the birds they attract. 

 The composite flowers are the favourites, coreopsis, 

 zinnias, asters, rudbeckias. This morning a line of 

 tall Russian sunflowers that head the vegetable 

 garden seemed fairly alive with the darling black- 

 capped goldfinches, who swung to and fro, perform- 

 ing all sorts of trapeze feats, as they picked out the 

 seeds, like pins from a cushion, all the while giving 

 their canary-like call. 



Flower form is becoming indistinct; the later 

 blooms are less articulate. The anemone Japonica 

 is the single exception that upholds springlike purity 

 of shape and whiteness among the ragged, twisted, 

 or primly tufted October chrysanthemums. 



The colour influence of flowers upon the mind 

 has never before appealed to me as it has this 



