78 THE FRIENDSHIP OF NATURE 



Breakers of air, billows of heat, 

 Fine summer spray on inland seas; 

 Bird of the sun, transparent winged, 

 Owlet of noon, soft pinioned, 

 From health or stubble rising without 

 song, 



Establish thy serenity o'er the fields." 



Thoreau. 



And the old tree murmurs: "Rest is 

 the summer song of noonday." 

 * # # # # 

 The breeze revives, and the shad- 

 ows, drawn in by noontide, drop to 

 eastward; a fragrance wafts from the 

 moss tufts and guides us to its giver, 

 — the dainty pipsissewa, — growing in 

 bunches and masses, sprouting from 

 creeping rootstalks, with a stem of 

 madder-lined dark leaves with creamy 

 veinings, crowned by waxy white 

 flowers, their petals reflexed, having 

 flesh-coloured stamens and a willow- 

 green centre. This is the last of the 



