220 EARLY SPRING IN MASSACHUSETTS. 
tawny earth contrasts with the darker water 
which surrounds it, or perchance lighter some¬ 
times. At this season when the russet colors 
prevail, the contrast of water and land is more 
agreeable to behold. What an inexpressibly 
soft curving line is the shore ! and if the water 
is perfectly smooth and yet rising, you seem to 
see it raised one eighth of an inch with swelling 
lip above the immediate shore it kisses, as in a 
cup. Indian isles and promontories. Thus we 
sit on that rock, hear the first wood-frog’s croak, 
and dream of a russet elysium. Enough for 
the season is the beauty thereof. 
The qualities of the land that are most attrac¬ 
tive to our eyes now are dryness and firmness. 
It is not the rich, black soil, but warm and 
sandy hills and plains which tempt our steps. 
We love to sit on and walk over sandy tracts in 
the spring, like cicindelas. These tongues of 
russet land eapeing and sloping into the flood do 
almost speak to one. They are alternately in 
sun and shade. When the cloud is passed and 
they reflect their pale brown light to me, I am 
tempted to go to them.In the shadow 
of a cloud, and it chances to be a hollow ring 
with sunlight in its midst, passing over the 
hilly sproutland toward the Baker house, a 
sproutland of oaks and birches, owing to the 
color of the birch twigs, perhaps, the russet 
