The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-11-19
AUTUMN LEAVES.

party of young people, carrying paper
bags. sttchels and baskets, strolling
up pleasant country road. Leaning
over the garden gate OF the pictur-
esque aud Manageable house they
have Just left, looking after them, the
gentleman shading his eyes from the
sun with his right hand-Mrs. Nell
cent Ogden, widow, and Mr.. Sidney
Maurice, old bachelor
Mr.. Maurice (turniDg to his COM
panion, still shading his eyes,. One
would imagine, judging from those
happy youths and maidens, that the
violets were here instead of the gold
en- rod, aud that the roses were COM
ing, and not the snow-hakes They
go as merriIy TO gaGher autumn leaves
as they went to seek for Mays sweet
blossoms. Life's spring makes all
seasons its own
Mrs. Ogden (laughingly). True.
But that is no reason you should pro-
tect your sight any longer. You have
turned your back upon the sun.
Mr.. Maurice dropping his hand,
and walking beside her, as she saun-
ters toward the grape arbor) When
We two were young, thought your
beauty much more dazzling than the
SUP.
Mrs. Ogden Slowly. That was a
great many years ago.
Mr.. Maurice. Well say fifteen.
Mrs Ogden knowing i: to be nine
teeD). AT least sixteen.
Mr.. Maurice. Isit possible Look
ing st you, / can scarcely believe it
to be half that number
Mrs. 0gnen. You have not lost
your talent for fsttering.
Mr.. Maurice l could not lose
what | never possessed. | abhor
fattery. Time must have fallen in
love with you when you entered upon
the summer of your life-Ision't won.
der at it-and the old grsYbeard ever
after, as be made his yearly rounds,
only gazed upon you smilingly, and
passed On. No hand of his has been
laid upon your dark tresses. He has
never touched your broad smooth
brow. Your wiue-brown eyes have
the same sparkle aud your pretty
mouth the same smile as Of old Only
your form is more matroDly, and
your chin not quite as round, and |
should suspect-glancing at her plump
hand-that you now wear six and q
half instead of six. The first philo-
pens | ever gave you-l let you
catch me, by-the-wsy-was pair OF
gloves. As for me, the footprints of
the crow are plainly visible around
my eyes, my hair and my moustache
are turning gray, and the buttons and
button holes of the brown coat in
which you first beheld me-it was at
the elder Miss Ssrgent's sixteenth
birthday party, and you threw Bob
Taylor over Immediately | was intro
duced, and allowed me to feed you
with straw berries and cream the rest
of the eveniug-wouldn't meet at the
present moment by a foot or so
Time has smitten me with both
hands
Mrs. Ogden. 'Tis false He has
only touched you with one finger.
You look your age, | will confess
nine-and-thirty (she knows be is for
ty-ope) but not day more And
you are entirely mistaken about the
crows feet, and | see no silver
threads among the gold" So, Mr.
Maurice, you get no sympathy from
neon that score
They reach the arbor, and seat
themselves upon q rustic bench sbad.
ed by heavy vines
Mr. Maurice, suddenly, after few
moments thought Ah! Melicent,
what happy, happy dsys tnose were
when, you seventeen and two-and.
twenty, were so wildly 10 love with
each other. That il, when | was
wildly in love with you, and you also
thought you were very much in love
with me-
Mrs. Ogden. remember the day
we went for water-lilies, and came
GEAR being drowned.
Mr.. Maurice. And | said In what
more beautiful shape could death
come to US? The smiling sky above
the smiling waters beneath, and the
fragrant flowers around US
Mrs. Ogden. You were always
awfully poeticsl- But 10 spite of the
poetry, caught severe cold, and
locked like fright for q week. And
can you recall the terrible thunder.
storm that overlook us as We were
sauntering through the woods one
August day, and the fearful clap that
shattered the maple-iree beneath
which We sought shelter
Mr.. Maurice Can / recall it
Can l ever forget it, you mean. Fol
the same clap which you call fearful
but which l thought Heaven sent,
threw you into nv arms, and-I kiss
ed you.
Mrs. Ogden, blusbing rosy red,
And the day we went for wild fow.
ers, and gathered such 8 quantity,
and. stopping 10 reet on the porch OF