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wind breathed balmily upon us, and the warm sap 
poured upward into every branch and twig, thou¬ 
sands of us burst our envelopes and shed light and 
perfume upon the air. 
“ The beeches were the most fragrant of our wood¬ 
land company, and their delicate pink tints made the 
atmosphere look rose-colored far and near. But 
there was no rivalry among us. We all rejoiced 
together in our new-found existence, and the children 
of men walked on the turf below gazing upward to 
our promise with faces of hope and joy. 
“ And happy has been my long summer life, for 
no insects have fed upon my juices, and no rude hand 
has torn me from the bough. After I first unfolded, 
a few cold days threatened to freeze the vital current 
in my veins ; but the fresh tide that flowed into them 
every moment from the warm earth, resisted the 
nipping winds, and when at last I became vigorous 
