BROKEN AND SHADED LIQGIT 
33 
field of blue the shadow of the cloud is cast 
upon the earth in isolated silhouette. As the 
cloud moves, the shadow moves too, and we have 
that charming effect called the flying shadow. 
If there is a stiff wind blowing and the clouds 
are closely packed together with only loopholes 
of blue here and there, or if the clouds are long 
rolls of the nimbus with occasionally breaks in 
the line through which the sunlight falls, we 
then see that other charming effect called the 
sun-burst. 
The sun-burst is often seen in summer 
weather, especially if the day is hot, and the air 
is heavy with dust and moisture. Under such 
conditions the bright beam thrust through a 
cloud opening makes a Jacob’s ladder of light 
from heaven to earth. The light falls in a shaft 
very much as the pinion of the Egyptian dawn 
rises toward the zenith, except that it is usually 
frailer and more golden in hue. And it always 
falls through the shadow cast by clouds just as a 
beam of sunlight flashes into a darkened room 
and is seen because it is surrounded by dark- 
ness. When a cloud passes across the face of 
the sun its edges may turn to molten silver and 
its thicker portions glow with light, yet the 
beam does not get through and the fulling shaft 
The sun- 
burst. 
