AN ISLAND GARDEN 55 



over the coast, gleaming snow white in the sun, 

 but here and there thin silver strips lay across 

 distant sails and islands, lingering as if loath to 

 leave the earth for the sky. I took the baskets 

 of plants I had found necessary to dig up to give 

 the rest room, and paddled across to the next 

 island in a little lapstreaked dory, to give them 

 to my neighbors for their flower plots. Great is 

 the pleasure in the giving and the taking. It was 

 such a heavenly morning, so blue and calm after 

 the tumult of yesterday ! Along the far-off coast 

 the joyous hills seemed laughing in the sunshine, 

 and the great sea rippled all over with smiles. 



From the low shores of the islands came the 

 singing of the birds over the still water, with an 

 indescribably quiet and peaceful effect, and as I 

 rowed into the cove of my destination, passing 

 the coasts of the little island called Malaga, I saw 

 outlined against the sky the lovely grasses al- 

 ready blossoming among the rocks. A kingbird 

 sat on a bowlder and meditated ; there was no tree, 

 so he was fain to be content with a rock to sit on. 

 I passed him almost near enough to touch him 

 with my oar, but he did not stir, not he! My 

 errand done and the plants distributed, I hastened 

 back to my own dear little plot again, and up and 

 down all the paths I went, digging out every 

 unwelcome root of grass, plantain, mallow, cat- 

 nip, clover, and the rest, once more raking them 

 clear and clean. Outside, in a bed by itself, I 

 sunk four pots of repotted Chrysanthemums, to 

 be ready for the windows in early winter. All 

 along the piazza are the house plants waiting to 



