122 AN ISLAND GARDEN 



I have had reward enough for all my care of 

 the Water Lilies (even though they had put forth 

 only leaves, but they have blossomed well) in the 

 delight of the birds over the tubs of clear water 

 on which the mottled leaves are floating. So 

 many charming creatures pause at them to drink, 

 and the song-sparrows bathe there daily. En- 

 chanting it is to watch their pretty ways as they 

 hop from the tub's edge upon a Lily-pad which 

 yields beneath their weight and lets them gently 

 down, but out of this they always flit and take 

 their own way about it, dipping and splashing 

 bravely till they are thoroughly drenched, then 

 preening and drying themselves as they sit upon 

 the brim, and singing their song of sweet content 

 when all is done. 



September 23d. Now are the crickets loud in 

 the grass and the Hawkweed waves in pale yellow 

 all over the island, the autumn Dandelion, starry 

 on its long and slender stem. But still the gar- 

 den glows, and still autumn 



" Sets budding more 

 And still more later flowers for the bees, 

 Until they think warm days will never cease, 

 For summer has o'er brimmed their clammy cells." 



Where the Hollyhocks earliest to blossom stand 

 bereft of all save their thick-growing, full, round 

 seed vessels, the late Morning-glories have 

 wreathed and twined themselves and hung the 

 stems with white and rose and heaven-blue bells, 

 and the later blooming stalks are rich with fresh 

 flowers. Still the Sweet Peas blossom as if their 



