THE PROCESSION OF THE FLOWERS 35 
Sometimes along these emerald canals there 
comes a sudden rush and hurry, as if some 
anxious housekeeper upon the hill above were 
afraid that things were not stirring fast enough, 
—and then again the waving and sinuous lines 
of water are quieted to a serener flow. The 
delicious red thrush and the busy little yellow- 
throat are not yet come to this their summer 
haunt; but all day long the answering field 
sparrows trill out their sweet, shy, accelerating 
lay. 
In the same localities with the Bloodroot, 
though some days later, grows the Dogtooth 
Violet, —a name hopelessly inappropriate, but 
likely never to be changed. These hardy and 
prolific creatures have also many localities of 
their own ; for, though they do not acquiesce 
in cultivation, like the sycophantic Bloodroot, 
yet they are hard to banish from their native 
haunts, but linger after the woods are cleared 
and the meadow drained. The bright flowers 
blaze back all the yellow light of noonday, as 
the gay petals curl and spread themselves 
above their beds of mottled leaves; but it is 
always a disappointment to gather them, for 
indoors they miss the full ardor of the sun- 
beams, and are apt to go to sleep and nod ex- 
pressionless from the stalk. 
And almost on the same day with this bright 
