. Our young folks [serial]. -trees infront of the house. On the grass under these trees, Tom, Maggie, and I spend many long sum-mer afternoons. Now and then some gaudy butterfly flits across the yard,and entices Tom to a run with his net. It is very often a fruitless journey,however. Butterflies are not always to be caught, even by running for are very sly and very quick, and some of the larger varieties will lead aboy a long chase, ending, perhaps, in disappointment. It was only the otherday, as we were walking along a pretty country road, that Tom caught sightof a magnificent Archi
. Our young folks [serial]. -trees infront of the house. On the grass under these trees, Tom, Maggie, and I spend many long sum-mer afternoons. Now and then some gaudy butterfly flits across the yard,and entices Tom to a run with his net. It is very often a fruitless journey,however. Butterflies are not always to be caught, even by running for are very sly and very quick, and some of the larger varieties will lead aboy a long chase, ending, perhaps, in disappointment. It was only the otherday, as we were walking along a pretty country road, that Tom caught sightof a magnificent Archippus butterfly perched proudly upon an asclepiasflower. He crept towards it very softly, but, just as his net was about to fallover it, away it soared into the pasture. I will have that splendid fellow ! said Tom, and, jumping over the wall, he started after it at full speed. Awayfloated the Archippus, lighting now and then, but always taking to its wingswhenever Tom approached. At last it came back into the road again, and. 476 Midsummer Butterflies. [August, fluttered quietly about among the asclepias. Tom climbed over the wall asfast as he could, and, very hot and tired with his long chase, came creepingup to where the butterfly was playing. Up went his net and then camedown again, bringing with it a great bunch of asclepias blossoms ; but theArchippus spread its large wings, and floated off over a forest of young bircheson the other side of the road. Poor Tom stood looking after it with verylonging eyes ; but when it disappeared he swung his net over his shoulderand went whistling up the road, thinking that perhaps the next time boyishskill and perseverance would prove too much even for an Archippus butter-fly. And so it proved; for, before reaching home, a magnificent specimenwas safely mounted in his box. One evening we were sitting reading around our German student-lamp,when thump, thump came something against the window-pane. Maggie
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, bookpublisherbosto, bookyear1865
