THE PERN PARADISE. 
The view will well repay a look, for a charming 
sight is spread out below — hill-side and valley, 
town and river. 
Upwards — narrowing as it goes — winds the 
lane. And now, for a moment, the bright valley 
which we have left below us is forgotten in the 
new sight which refreshes the eye. Hitherto the 
sunlight has shone upon the path ; but here our 
lane becomes suddenly darkened as it creeps 
under the shadow of higher hedge-banks, and of 
overhanging trees. Just one glance through a 
breach in the shady mound which helps to shut 
out the sunshine, and the eye will catch a lovely 
glimpse of the hill-side slopiug down into the 
valley below. The bright peep charmingly con- 
trasts with the dark depths of the lane. But in 
this dark and cool retreat Fern-life is predomi- 
nant. 
On the right the thick hedge-bank is covered 
with an almost impenetrable mass of bushes, which 
rise high above its top, shedding upon it the dim- 
ness of evening twilight. Growing out against 
the dark background of bushes are some luxuriant 
specimens of the Common Hartstongue ( Scolo - 
So 
