Веснянки

           Partofhiswallsweremallow,partalder,thorn,willow,anddogwood.Belowtherefilledinasolidmassofpalepinksheep-laurel,andyellowSt.John’swort,whiletheamberthreadsofthedodderinterlacedeverywhere.Atonesidetheswampcameclose,herecattailsgrewinprofusion.Infrontofthemhehadplantedarowofwater-hyacinthswithoutdisturbingintheleastthestateoftheirazurebloom,andwherethegroundarosehigherforhisfloor,arowoffoxfire,thatsoonwouldbeopen.

           Tothelefthehaddiscoveredaqueernaturalarrangementofthetrees,thatgrewtogiantsizeandweresetinagraduallynarrowingspacesothatalong,openvistastretchedawayuntillostinthedimrecessesoftheswamp.Alittletrimmingofunderbush,rollingofdeadlogs,levellingoffloorandcarpetingwithmoss,madeiteasytounderstandwhyFreckleshadnamedthisthe“cathedral”;yetheneverhadbeentaughtthat“thegroveswereGod’sfirsttemples.”

           Oneithersideofthetreesthatconstitutedthefirstarchofthisdimvistaoftheswampheplantedfernsthatgrewwaist-highthusearlyintheseason,andsoskilfullytheworkhadbeendonethatnotafronddroopedbecauseofthechange.Opposite,heclearedaspaceandmadeaflowerbed.Hefilledoneendwitheverydelicate,lacyvineandfernhecouldtransplantsuccessfully.Thebodyofthebedwasariotofcolor.Herehesetgrowingdaintyblue-eyed-Marysandblue-eyedgrasssidebyside.