THROUGH LIBRARY WINDOWS 285 



steals the exquisite scent of wild grapes mas- 

 tering in richness all the aroma of these October 

 days, the crickets gave forth occasional dron- 

 ings, the whippoorwill in rapid passionate ap- 

 peals tried in vain to arouse and cheer the night, 

 the moonbeams flickered through the tree 

 branches, so gently astir by soft breezes — and 

 all seemed to say "Summer is gone and autumn 

 is come"; yes, but what of it, summer was rich 

 and generous, October is genial and tonic, it 

 all counts and life flows on and the passage of 

 years leaves a rich sediment for larger growths 

 of thoughts and purposes and aspirations. 



How the fallen leaves have opened up vistas 

 little suspected during the foliaged summer. 

 From every hill-top a new outlook is taken. 

 New paths thrust themselves on your notice 

 most temptingly, you enter one, it is a real cow- 

 path and must lead somewhere. This onei 

 wound around a hill and brought me up against 

 an old rail-fence of the zig-zag-stake-and-rider 

 sort, spotted with lichens, bleached and silvered 

 with years of exposure, it marked the boundary 

 clear and cold, it explained the path. The 

 fragrance from left-over ripened fruit that 

 hangs about a few old abandoned trees tempts 

 to the testing and the taste excels the sniff. 

 Listening one hears the patter of chestnuts on 



