The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-10-15
3 q It-F| a7711-I7 =
M L LEAVES. E

ISIS
"Autumn leavesl" Mrs. .Haythorne
cried cut, ecstatically.
For. the little table was covered
with drifts of red leaves, and yellow
leaves veined with blood; and Mrs.
Estcourt was bending over a half-fin-
ished wreath which she was fastening
upon handsome screen of Bristol
board. auEEI3 stlEafldifd9 1854 .ssi --=.l u
ayes, autumn leaves, she answered.
looking up with smile as she shook
back the thick brown tresses from her
forehead. "Do.you think any one will
buy them ?"
Mrs. Haythorne shook her head du-
"They are beautiful, Helen,H1 she
said shut I suppose they may be
classed with the merely Ornamental
articles for which there is compare
lively no market.
Helen EslcoHrt sighed. She was
pale lovely w Woman, with deWy red
lips and eyes full of deep, liquid lis hts
like forest pools !; and Mrs. Haythorne's
kiBdl y heart ached for her as she gaz-
ed. -0agssk at4i eA taoI 35ta
laBut will take a pair for my man
telpiece, Helen" she added, cheerily.
'FFAnd, perhaps, some one else will see
them, and leave All order with NE.
fftOh, hope they niay," Mrs Est
court ans " erred, with an eager flush
on her y4eek !; s'for / need money, so
much" And she sighed sadly as she
bent over the radiant leaves.
#9lps* tf53* 4aG*5I X -
A belt of autumn woods, glorious
with tinted foliage, and the scarlet
berries of the hawthorne; slope OF
green grass where the sunshine slept
in golden brightness aud a little sea-:
let-hooded damseI, ten years old, with
a basket on her arn, like Red Riding
hood of yore....s
Crack! sounded the sharp report of
"a gun; and little Lillian Estcourt drop
ped her basket, as tall, bronze-faced
man crashed his way through the
woods and faced her, rifle in hand,
and game-bag swung lightly over his
shoulder.
"HalIo p quoth Mr.. Brian Beverley,
quite as much surprised as the little
girl herself. "Where is the volt ?"
'.Sir 2" faltered Lillian.
here is the wolf, say ?"
ftThere areno wolves in these woods,
sir" Lily answered, quite seriously.
FAnd you're going TO see your
grandmother, eh ? with a little pat of
butter and loaf OF white bread"
|, sf.No, sir" said Lillian, secretly think
ing the gentleman must be crazy. "t'm
getting autumn leaves for mamma"
.@IfsOh," said Mr.. Beverley ''I thought
you must be Little Red Riding hood"
II am Lillian Estcourt," said she, SOL
emily. .aof.sass5 lsso.z 4
6::sDo you know. said the gentleman,
lifting one OF her sunny ringlets with
his finger, 81 was very near shooting
yon2 took you for a robin red
breast" s,...z .4sst t..at,4sct ~
Lily retreated in some apprehension,
seeing the double barrelled gun as
she did SO. gfa.sf e-.;f..s aaz-.4
a shouldn't like to be shot, said
"Probable not, assented Mr.. Bever-
ley. ~HaIlol you've got the little bas-
s'Yes. quite fuIl," said @Liliap, with
innocent pride. Mamma will think
they are very pretty Z? .aj glI ii.
.'sWhat does she do with them ?"
said Mr.. Beverley. Make fairy gold z
"NO, sir, answered Lillian, again
puzzled. "She makes hand-screens to
SELL"
"Oh, that's it, eh? Well. can take
you where there's a tree with leaves
as red as if they had been painted
with vermillion. Give me yonr hand,
for it's ronoh road.
Once or twice as they walked along, |
Brian Beverley caught her earnest
brown ewes fxed intently on his face.
'tWell," said he at last, Sand what
do you think of me, Little Red Rid
ing-hood ?" ,s9 f...r5.. st,... s,ai
+ 81 think you are very kind, return
ed the small physiognomist."
~ Ou don't regard me in the light of
wolf, then2" .gls3 fHaI sla
Lillian shook her head, as she skip-I
ped along by his side. ..4a a.. Il
"Oh," she cried suddenly, as they
drew near the edge of steep ravine,
at whose bottom noisy stream gur-
gled over brown messy stones, ''what
q lovely red vinel eau get some of
those leaves, l know 0. -. ~
'''Stopi" cried Mr.. Beverley, sudden
ly, as he noted the almost perpendicu-
lar rock over whose gray lodges the
scarlet vine hung in wildly graceful
festOons but he was too late.
Little Lillian Estcourt had sprung
forward; her foot slipped on the de-
ceitful green moss The vine gave way
with a cracking, wrenchihg sound,
and the next moment she had vanish
ed from Brian Beverley's terrified Yis-
ion. .,.,.s ~, .,, r..,,.s., ..
Only little heap of ofclolhes lay on
the bank of The rivulet below, with
the scarlet hood making a blot ofYiv-
| id oOlor. not pnlike q pool of blood.
| He called, she did not stir; and with
set teeth and pale cheek he hurried
down the steep winding path that led