20 AN ISLAND GARDEN 



go out and take a dip in the air together, or sit 

 conversing in pretty cadences a little space, till 

 mother bird must hie indoors to the eggs she 

 dare not leave longer lest they grow chill. And 

 this sweet little drama is repeated all about the 

 island, on sunny roofs and corners and tall posts, 

 wherever a bird house has been built for their 

 convenience. All through April and May I 

 watch them as I go to and fro about my business, 

 while they attend to theirs ; we do not interfere 

 with each other; they have made up their minds 

 to endure me, but I adore them ! Flattered in- 

 deed am I if, while I am at work upon the flower 

 beds below, father martin comes and sits close to 

 me on the fence rail and chatters musically, un- 

 mindful of my quiet movements, quite fearless 

 and at home. 



While I am busy with pleasant preparation 

 and larger hope, I rejoice in the beauty of the 

 pure white Snowdrops I found blossoming in their 

 sunny corner when I arrived on the first of April, 

 fragile winged things with their delicate sea-green 

 markings and fresh, grass-like leaves. Ever since 

 the first of March have they been blossoming, 

 and the Crocus flowers begin, as if blown out of 

 the earth, like long, lovely bubbles of gold and 

 purple, or white, pure or streaked with lilac, to 

 break, under the noon sun, into beautiful petals, 

 showing the orange anthers like flame within. 

 And the little Scilla Siberica hangs its enchant- 

 ing bells out to the breeze, blue, oh, blue as the 

 deep sea water at its bluest under cloudless skies. 

 And later, yellow Daffodils and Jonquils, " Tulips 



