Page:Maud Howe - A Newport Aquarelle.djvu/236

 down the great hill at the two-mile corner. The country was splendid with the glory of the goldenrod, which lined the dusty roadside and spread like a great yellow cloak over the fields, cut into squares like a chess-board by the crossing lines of the gray stone walls. Some of the squares were deep green, starred with purple asters; others were of the rich brown color of new-ploughed earth; many of the distant ones were yellow with the harvested grain, and piles of deep red gold pumpkins stood at the corners of the fields. The air was sweet with the smell of the wild grapes which clung to the porches of the bare unpainted farm-houses. The beauty of the complete and perfect year crowned the fair earth, and the peace of the fruitful harvest was over the land. The air was fresh, and, though full of light and warmth, had a cool tinge in it, that set the blood running like new wine through the veins of the man and woman who were so unreasonably and unreasoningly happy, sitting, side by side, behind the swift horses.