A WALK IN THE WOODS.
It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The sun had marked its shortest shadows. They were now pointing toward the northeast.
The family had returned from the little village church. Dinner was over, and they had all gone into the cool, shady piazza. Mrs. Leonard and Susie had settled themselves cozily in one corner and were reading together. Mr. Leonard was nodding over the pages of his weekly newspaper. Frank, stretched out on the settee, was absorbed in a new book, while not far away Donald lay under the spreading branches of a spruce tree with Barri by his side. Uncle Robert stood gazing at the green woods, which looked so cool and inviting.
"'The groves were God's first temples,'" he said to himself, and then, turning to the others, asked, "Who wants to go for a walk?"
"I do," said Frank, springing up. "Come on, Don. Don-ald!" he called, "we're going for a walk."
"You'd better come with us," said Uncle Robert to Mrs. Leonard.
"I'll get your hat, mother," cried Susie eagerly, running into the house.
"Shall we go to the cornfield?" asked Mr. Leonard, picking up his straw hat.
"I think it would be cooler in the woods," said Mrs. Leonard.
"Oh, yes," said Donald, "let's go up the creek to the pond."