Connecticut western news., 1871-12-22
Kithered Leaves.

a Withered Leaves, T x Walking in the woods one cold, dark day last Fall, with a gloomy heart, I gath cred togetherca n pile of the dead leaves that covered the ground, and sitting down, gave myself up to sad thoughts.
 All the world looked leaden-colored, like the sky, and all life as ioyless as the dull, brown leaves .,,Ths flowers hung their poor, lifelsss heads not bird-song fell on my ear. All nature seemed mourn ing, and walked the first in the sad company of mourners, feeling it was my right place, for ! mourned more than they. gho.a iteeo .a Ez4k aAt
 Soon a faint, sweet odor came to me from the crushed leaves: after listening long to the wlnd as it sighed through the trees, I found there was in the sosnd an undertone of hope below all the sad ness little insect, spared by the frost, spoke to me with it's tiny voice far away I heard the faint sound of little brook as it .babbled over the stones.
 Gradually and sweebly the finer, hidden tones of nature spoke to me, and from the leafess branches of the trees came breath which my heart interpreted:
 "We forget not the green leaves that seem kissed, bent and swung on their tender stems through all the long sum- mer days i; happy birds flew in and out among them. little children played un. der them, and hred men rested in their cool shadow. Now they lie, the poor dead things, broken and brown at our feet. Shall we, therefore, be endlessly sad for their loss Surely no, since we know that joy cometh in the spring. We will rejoice again in leaves as bright and strong and beautiful. So, dear hu- man soul, God may have taken frem yeu some cherished hopes and plans, leaving on the tree of your life only 1eafess branches, through which the winter winds mean drearily. Yet rejoice l Surely joy will come for you in Gods springtime-if not on earth, in heaven. And as our fallen leaves are not useless, but make the earth fruitful, 50. that flowers have stronger life. by means of their death, and green leaves are stronger for those that have lived and died before them. So your. dead hopes may. make sweet flowers blossom mere freshly in your soul, nay make your life stronger and larger and more beautiful. {" Partly comforted, raised my head, but the memory of a great grief bent it downsagainsaa ! thoughts 'sI'he trees have onlyss little time tOa wait,' and the sweet sunshine and gentle rain will give them back their leaves but nosunshine | nor~any rain--even of 'tears-san give me back my friend, and below all other sorrow lives the deep, hopeless longing for buried face" Still the sweet rnur- mur. went oS ,efaag eiesssy; tender and hopef,1f 1. 'sThe cold winter past seems not to have been long. Looking back, I in the blessed light lof Gods sweet, 4heayenly summer, with the dear face linear your own, it will seem but a little while, after all, that you have waited. A voice within me said ;.s Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage. and He shall
 strengthen th1ne heart. 9 sst sexpg.
 What pleased bird that suddenly he sounded his sweet note calling to his mate Where had the clouds gone, that the sky was. blue How gently the fwind whispered in the pine trees! Fai away the little brook leaped and danced ias smile of the sunlight played over ii | for moment At my feet the ground from svghieh I had gathered the leaves was bright with soft, green moss. Had l the earth changed her sad tone for one
 of happiness r , sDf had my issas grown I |reconciled, learned, if nod e sing ir unison with her great songat lsass V I understand its. harmony. .ss . M. ED. 2