m 
m 
A CHILD OF NATURE 
house. The hand of Nature was 
on the latch, but the door remained 
shut. If one who had known the 
love of the man for this radiant and 
fragrant world and the caressing 
gentleness of that world, had taken 
thought of the circumstances, it 
would have seemed as if Nature 
missed a familiar presence and were 
feeling for it with sensitive tendrils, 
and striving to recall it with voices 
that were musical, murmurs on the 
fragrant breath of summer. The 
wide landscape softened, grew ten- 
der, stirred with the rising tide of 
life, and broke at last into verdure 
and bloom, all the hidden springs 
of vitality overflowing in green 
rivulets or rich masses of foliage ; 
[ IO °] 
ws$. 
&B 
^, 
