8 LITERARY PILGRIMAGES 



ening songs and the swifts twittering and 

 rcling nearer and nearer the big chimney which 

 their summer home. The bird cherry trees were 

 hite angels of bloom, and from all the land far 

 id near the incense of opening blossoms made 

 e air sweet and rose toward the high, mysterious 

 tar of Chocorua's peak as if in adoration of the 

 se glow of its sunset tints. Chocorua Lake was 

 mirror in which the glory of the summit, the 

 ue dusk of the lower ranges and its own shores 

 ere reflected in perfect beauty. It was a sound- 

 g-board as well, across, whose level came to the 

 r innumerable bird songs, singing carols of 

 aise to the passing of day. Out of the blue 

 :pths of the sky the cool of night dropped like 

 blessing from heaven and seemed to soften and 

 mefy all melodies into purer, more mellow music. 

 r ood thrushes and hermits sang in the shadows 

 rmns of praise to the most high peak of the 

 ountain, a pantheistic worship that was old ages 

 :fore any spires other than those of the spruces 

 id pointed the way to heaven. 

 From the hillocks of the pasture to the topmost 

 mghs of the forest all bird life joined in the 



