84 FLORIDA 



but the "magic city" did not put its best foot 

 forward. Friday morning the mercury stood at 

 forty-five, and although the day was abundantly 

 warm out of doors, — so warm that a walker nat- 

 urally took off his coat, — an oil stove proved a 

 comfort at nightfall. In short, the day was ex- 

 actly like a White Mountain day in late Septem- 

 ber, hot in the middle and cool at both ends. 

 Yesterday, however, was a piece of Massachusetts 

 June, while this morning is so perfect that every 

 one, visitor or resident, passes comments upon 

 it. Perfection of any kind is a rare and precious 

 thing, — in this world, at least, — and though it 

 be merely a bit of weather, it should never go 

 unspoken of. So I say to myseH as I Ue in the 

 shade, and look and breathe. 



In truth, I can hardly feel it credible that I 

 was in the midst of snowstorms less than a week 

 ago. For a long two days winter has seemed 

 a thing utterly past and forgotten. Only now 

 and then it comes upon me, with the shock of 

 unexpected news, that this is not summer, but 

 January. 



The bay, for some reason to me unknown, is 

 almost without birds. The only one just now in 

 sight is a cormorant pretty far offshore, diving 

 and swimming by turns. I imagine him to be a 

 loon till suddenly he takes wing, with outstretched 



