The baptism of a farmer named Martin Harris, which followed, was more decorous.
The sunlight lay bright on the other side of the flowing river, and the shadow of the willow tops above them was outlined on the stream.

On the sunny bank opposite there was a thicket of sumac trees reddening to the autumn heat; the wild vine was climbing upon them, making their foliage the more dense, and at their roots, by the edge of the stream, the golden rod was massed.

On the bank on which they stood the colouring was more quiet.

A few ragged spikes of the purple aster were all that grew under the gray green willows, which with every breath turned the silver underside of their soft foliage to the wind.

The place for the baptism had no doubt been chosen because of the depth of the water, and because the bank here was comparatively bare.
It was about four o'clock in the afternoon.