15 DECEMBER 1939, Page 17

COUNTRY LIFE

Why ?

A highly developed sense of beauty is not general in London children, but a number of little evacuated children were overwhelmed with wonder at their first sight of hoar- frost. Its origin and nature were wholly unknown to most of them. One of them asked : " What was it for? " The transformation scene was singularly complete. Every twig and bent was be-diamonded, and the final triumph was the glory set on a barbed-wire fence.

Why are diamonds hung On every spray, On roped ladder's rung, On ricks of hay?

The home-folk have no tongue Such thoughts to say, Such glories are far-flung Where winds have play.

Yet often are they sung In their rough way: They know they move among Miracles every day.