26 UNDER THE OPEN SKY 



through, the materials have been gathering. 

 Then on the hill-sides the old leaves and 

 the sticks have been accumulating. Slowly 

 they have been softening up and getting 

 ready to disintegrate. But all have been 

 held in place by the ice and the snow. Now 

 -all is ready. Once more the sun is "as a 

 bridegroom coming out of his chamber," 

 once more "as a strong man'.' he "rejoiceth 

 to run a race." The snow melts, — the ice 

 loosens up; the water which has so long 

 lain chilled, too stiff to run down hill, now 

 too feels the quickening impulse, and yields 

 to the enticement of Mother Earth and to 

 its own most natural inclinations and goes 

 leaping and bounding down to the low- 

 lands. With it is carried its most precious 

 freight. Clear, beautiful, limpid water is 

 the water we admire. That is because it 

 so best serves for drinking. Our most im- 

 mediate need blots out our perception of 

 the blessing of mud. But when the spring 

 floods pour down our valleys they carry 

 with them all the loosened richness of ab- 

 solutely virgin soil from the highlands and 



