Washington telegraph., 1851-12-03
AUrUMNAL SKETCHES.
ny MRS. MA pEaIsoN.

AsoW bently hhe slnBs the requiem ot thg
flowers, poor tender things, that are per
ishing because Summer is sleeping, anl
heeds them no longer to make garland,
ior her sunny brow. Yes. Autumn bas
stolen upon US with right gentle trend
aud her breath Is fragrant with the scent
OF yellow corn, and the oder of golden
peaches and rlpened apples. She has
come mnfmufing TO the farmer, nfll youi
barns high with grain aud stacks of
sweet.smelling hay for when am gone,
there shall eomd an old, old man, with
ieieles freezing on his white beard. aud a
cold welcome in his stony eye. lie shall
come, leaning upon stall cut from the
pettliied forests OF the frozen North but
though he efeep along with shivefing
form and shaking tread, with frosts uolI.
gealed upon his snow.l0cks, aud pale
lankuof in his shfiyeled eheuks, yet there
Is power IN thal old mans gfasp. aud a
strong current OF impetunus life bounds
vigorously through the pallid veins; he
VIII selze upon your treasures If You Sc.
cure them not, and touch of his chilly
Look upon tue hlIIsi Autumn aud her
sprites are busy ;hefe, wherever lheit
dancing feet touch the swafd, To- II i
tfansfguted. aud thousand Nesting
beauties sleep in the little hallows they
have made. Gaze upward TO the skies,
has SUMMER gohe lhefei They are Us
daIk1y. as richly blue, as in her softer
reign. The little funnels bubble to the
meadows aud the meadows answer back
again. and tell how slfange a desolalion
eometh IL the tram Of Autumn, and how,
II they were little hfnoklels, they would
find SOME dark. VAIN cavern. out of the
reach ol gfasfng winter. But The brook.
lets, like children, heed not tie words OF
experience, aud babhe on, eoniented. be-
cause Just nov they are warm, anG the
sun glilIers 10 then very depths.
Behold. again. Autumn wfaps her man.
Tie ol scarlet ah1ul her glorious form. aud
bows her heal IN SORROW. Just heyuud
Tie lillle enclosure see her. shalowy YET
bright moving iise spifit. while the
iadiug sef1ufe scarcely iaels Tie pressure
oi her s1il tfeal Aud Autumn Is among
the tombs-amohg the gfegn mounds
and the white monuments. Many
babe that one year 40 hell ioflh Is tay
hauds tn Hteel her, lies there sieeping
Mauy = Young hfile who waited Tor her
10 hiess her halal. twelve mouths 40. Is
iulied IN tie eefemenis Of the efaYe -
lie Who swung his seylhe. aud rauoIleh
a song to her huunf. WHEN mt she vas
here. he al lie maHly f5fm the powerful
atd. the uahIs brow. aud merry eye al
blue. has iiuislied his eoufse IN his hnghl
spnnslane, aud hIs head Is rIlaWed oa
lowly bed. Autumn misses tie veuer.
ahle aud the agel. she pauses by the all
shafts that mark ;he Tepose Of The fallen
gfcali she knevls by the simple leadsiona
nl tie wilaye oie'sY,na"i aus uus Hnsv's
play with she faded chaplct that atorns a
fathers grave.
Yes. Autumn, we have lost our Beloved
since last the iair heavens cnmsonrd at
thy wooiug. Shake from thy golden
ltesses the pearls that summer rains
have fashioned there; they cannot rePag
u ior lhe loug absence o! that daflns
bubr, the dralh sleuee oi that cherished
father. Give Of thy tail store tom the
vintage aud the fruits gowlns under my
smiles: they ran never rewse that poor
frame that lies waiting 0f a dual visit
from the angels.
Two leaves tell gently from a fresh aud
strong oak Tree. SONY they iluiIered on
the wings OF the wind their broidcfed
edges sometimes folding together, until
finally they laid side by side, 50 closely
ina, one would hardly notice whether
there was division, OF whether Que
broad. beautiful glossy leaf, laid III the
dust by the roadside.
We watched their descent, and, with
a feeling akin 10 PITY behrld their bright
ness sotlcd. aud their soft vesimrnis. be-
fore so shining, covered with unslghily
mould Aud they brought to our remem'
berance-tlose young lcaycs-3n iuci-
dent oil which we once took note, heautl-
ful yet melancholy, glorious N is unseen
eonsummalon, mOumIu III Its present
sad realty.
Unto young and trusltul mother. were
born two sweet babes Twins seem al.
ways lovely with ihesamc iaifround faces,
the same slkcu locks, with little fingers
Of waxen purity ln,eroeked, as they lie
together III the same cradle, or side by
side nrc folded to the maternal brcas"
These possessed mnch more than ordinary
beauty. aud wer worshipped by the
youthful parents; bound 10 their hearts
by strong bands that shut from sight the
Christian sentiment, Father, Thou hast
but lent them to earth" they ioudly
termed them all their own, aud making
no reservation for the Almighty, loved
them with blind and selfish love.
A little while passed, aud the parent
tree stood. still firmly planted, though
bowed by the blast OF adlleIoni for, from
the branches, had fallen two young leaves.
Two young souls, in their freshness aud