“You’ll run into lots more things that seem strange,” said the mate. “You know you’re a long way from home. If you were in Europe, you’d be in a foreign land at this distance from your home.”
“Well, I see something already that’s new. What ails the trees in that ‘motte’? They look as if somebody had hung veils or something on them.”
The first officer laughed. “You aren’t so far out of the way, Roy,” he said, “only what you see is moss, and it was hung there by nature.”
“Moss!” exclaimed Roy. “Why, I never saw any moss like that. The stuff must be a yard long.”
“Yes; and it’s moss. They call it Spanish moss, and sometimes it is known as pirate’s beard. It often grows three feet long. In this part of the world the trees are festooned with it. After a while we’ll take a walk through a wood where it grows thick, and you’ll agree with me that it is very beautiful.”
The train passed a number of ranch-houses, or rather a number were visible at a distance. They were little, low structures, painted a dazzling white. There was little or no shade about them, and it seemed to Roy as though they must be unendurably hot, out there on the open prairie with the blazing Texas sun beating down on them. Several of these ranch-houses had curious, low trees near them that spread out horizontally like enormous umbrellas. They caught Roy’s eye at once.
“What are those funny trees?” he demanded.
“Those are China-trees, Roy. They have quantities of colored berries on them in the winter season, the juice of which is intoxicating. Young robins often eat the berries and get drunk. Then they can be knocked over with a stick, and, in consequence, many poor young robins go into potpies down here. It is said that a robin that has once been intoxicated by the berries will never touch them a second time, but I don’t know how true it is.”
The railroad crossed several small streams. Along the course of each were luxuriant growths of trees. Some of these were quite unfamiliar to Roy. One species in particular caught his attention because of its dark, glossy foliage.