Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-10-19
APPROACHING AUTUMN.

Before the late September days bring
Us the full autumnal glory. there are
eolOrs in the forest which foretell Us of
the coming season. Already. IN August
the golden rods are brilIiantia the mead
Ows. waving their plumes amidst the
spikes Of bareback. the paint brushes Of
the thistles and the feathery heads Of
the thoroughwoIt- The asters. too, with
which the gown of autumn is bespang-
led, are worn as jewels by the matron
Summer. She does not use their azure
stars so freely as her younger and fairer
sisters. but exhibits the same elegant
taste in their display. She loves, toe,
to wrcathe her brow with elematis
She Is unaware that she is old; she still
coquetts with scarlet cardinals. whose
VOW of eelibacy does not forbid firta-
ton; keeps company with the meadow
beauty. and scents her garments with
the proud lily's sweetness.
The tupelO Is now attired in glossy
green and red 1t is i small tree. but
one OF the very shoSiest at this season.
Then there are the sumaes; their ele-
CANT pinnate foliage IS already blotehed
with crimson while the poison ivy is
mOttled with yellow and brown. The
stems Of the poke weed are deepening in
color. and its berries. so precious to the
birds. are bursting with ruddy juice.
Often some bright tinged leaf viii float
down to rs from maple. while in the
elm trees we may see an entire branch
Of gold. Il looks as if some Midas had
touched it with his ayarieious finger:
and transmitted the texture into metal
The everlastings. which. with their hope
ful name, are sadly suggestive of NOR
talitY. now offer Us their pearly bios
SONS One Of these, Gusphalium. ou
American EdelWeiss. has dreamy odor
speaking to Us Of some unknown world
If We but touch it. the strange perfumt
haunts Us for the rest Of the day. ans
the mind gropes into the boundless pas
for something it cannot recall
Often as we stroll. through the woods
we see some brilliant tint which we con
ceive to be some unfamiliar flower. "
think We have obtained a prize befor
unknown to Us Approaching the objec
We find the imagined blossom is but
leafet. eolored like the sunset it has wit
messed, and vieing in beauty with tn
blossoming herbs around.
Many Of the seeds and pods of plant
are colOred. and add to the beauty of th
: landscape There are the splendid bel
ries of the sumae, the bright red cluster
of the mountain ash; the purple-specE
led fruit of the false Solomon's seal Ii
coral clusters Of Pulpit an
! the bunchberry, and the red and whit
gems Of the bane-berry. The barberr
hangs its bright festoOns over the n.
ged walls and the bittersweet cluste
\ beside It in brilliant red and green
: The close of the summer must Of n
|. cessity bring sad thoughts. 1t seen
i but day since We watched the fir
5 timid anemone in April, and now Il
\ blue and gold Of autumn is at han
j So near are death and life that even
? we pluck the full dyed leafet we nj
\ find ut the end Of the branch it groT
= on the tender opening bud which drear
/ not yet of fruit. Summer win soon
n with Us no more She will not fade
< grow gray, but will pass from Us in b
II full matron beauty and die in the ar
I. Of autumn--CorTespondsnt Frovidsn
n Journal