Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-07-01
Autumn Leaves.

"A UelG Ol autumn WOOQS, glorious VIII
tinted foliage and the scarlet berries !;
, slope of green grass, where the sunshin
slept in golden brightness and a scarlet
hooded damsel, with basket on he
arm, like Red Riding Hood of yore.
!. Crack sounded the sharp report of
rifle, and little Lillian Estcourt dropped
her basket as tall, bronze-faced mai
crashed his way through the woods ant
faced her, rifle in hand and q game-bae
swung lightly over his shoulder.
"Hallo!" quoth Mr.. Brian Ke,varly
quite as much surprised as the little gir.
herself; "where is the wolf ?U
"Sir!" faltered Lillian, holding on
tight to her basket.
where's the wolf? say!U
"There are no wolves in these woods.
sir" Lilly answered, soberly.
"And you're going to see your grand
mother, eh with little pot of butter
and loaf of white bread ?"
mo, sir" said Lillian, secretly think.
ing the gentleman must be crazy. "I'm
getting autumn leaves for mamma"
"Oh," said Mr.. Beverly, "I thought
you must be Little Red Riding Hood"
81 am Lillian Estcourt," said she SOL
EMMY.
DO you know" said the gentleman,
lifting one of her sunny ringlets with his
fingers, II came very near shooting YOU?
took you for a robin red-breast."
Lily retreated in some apprehension,
eying the glittering rifle as she did so.
| II shouldn't like to be shot" said she.
Probably not" assented Mr.. Bever-
"Hallo! you've got the little basket
full" o
"Yes, quite FULL" said Lillian, with
innocent pride. "Mamma will think
they are very pretty"
what does she do with them ?" SAID
Mr.. Beverly. make fairy gold ?"
nnas;od mNo; sir" ISL Lillian answered, again
wreaths to sell.n
"Oh, that's it, eh? Well, can take
you where there's tree with leaves as
red as II they had been painted in ver-
million, Give me your hand, for it's a
rough road"
Once or twice, as they walked along,
Brian Beverly caught her earnest brown
eyes fixed intently on his face.
"Well," said he at last, "and what do
you think Of me, Little Red Riding
Hood ?"
II think you are NICE" returned the
small physiognomist.
"You don't regard me in the light of
a wolf then ?"
Lillian shook her head as she skipped
along by his side.
"Oh!'' she cried, suddenly, as they
neared the edge of steep ravine, at
whose bottom a noisy stream gurgled
over brown, messy stones, "what love-
" red! | can get some of those leaves,
I know"
"Stopu' cried Mr.. Beverly, suddenly,
as he noted the almost perpendicular
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 deceit
1ul green moss 4; the vine to which she
lnstlnctively clung gave way with a
cracking, Wrenching sound, and the
next instant she had vanished from
Brian BeverIy's terrified vision.
Only little heap of clothes Law on the
bank of the rivulet below, with the scar
let hood making blot of vivid color not
unlike pool of blood
He called, but she did not stir.
And with set teeth and pale cheek he
hurried down the steep, winding path,
that led to the base of the rayine.
"Good heaven !" he murmured to
himself; s'if she should be dead!,
But Lillian Estcourt was not dead
only crippled for life.
Mrs. Escourt stood with clasped hands
above her darling.
eff she should die uLshe gasped,
scarcely above her breath. "If God
should take nay little one from me-"
Poverty, trial, suffering, were all for
gotten, and Ellen Estcourt only remem-
bered that she was mother. and that
the shadow of the Valley Of Death hung
darkly over her child.
1t was long and tedious recovery,
but Brian Beverly kept his post at the
side of the little bed, tireless in his pa
tience, inexhaustible in his stock of fai-
ry tales and elfin legends.
"Oh, Mr.. Beverly, T like you so
much !" said innocent Lillian. III wish
you would stay here always. Mamma,
don't you?"
And Brian, who had neared the age
Of forty without so much as dog or
cat to miss him when he was gone, or
even to welcome him on his return, felt
curious sensation under the pocket
where he carried his gold chronometer.
But it was scarcely in the nature of
things that he could 1inger forever
among the autumn woods of Deiville.
And when the first snow flakes be-
gan to eddy through the air, he packed
his vaiise resolutely at the hotel and
| walked down to the glen to Mrs. Est
courts humble cottage.
"Well," quoth he, striving to speak
uneoncernedly, II am going home TO.
morrow"
"Going" cried Lillian.
| "Going!" family echoed Mrs. Est
court, feeling deadly palor creep over
her cheek,
eyes," said Brian Beverly. "One
can't linger on the shores of fairy land
forever, can one, Little Red Riding
Hood? But I've proposition to make :"
"What is it ?" cried Lillian eagerly.
| Mr.. Beverly turned to the pale young
widow:
~ would like to adopt your little girl,
ma'am," said he. "pm a lonely, crusty,
middle-aged sort of q fellow, but I've an
She has no father. want some one to
love me. What do you say to the plan ?"
Mrs. Estcourt burst into tears,
''Oh, could not part with her." she
faltered. Remember, sir, she is all l
have in the world"
"Well, who asked you to part with
her?" demonstrated Mr.. Beverly. II
want you to come, too"
"Me?n
GAS my wife. I know it's sudden,
but never did anything like any one
else; at least, so they say" added Mr.
Beverly.
"Oh, mamma. do be his wife" cried
Lily. II like him so much. And sc
do you, for you told Mrs. Baythorne sc
yesterday.
"Hush, child" said Mrs. Estcourt
celoring like daisy-but it was toe
late.
"You do like me, then ?n said Brian
Beverly.
And something in his eyes brought
color in her cheek and the Eyes" to bel
lips.
And so the autumn shadows went ou
of her heart, and she weaves no more
autumn leaves. only bouquets of spring
rose buds for her darling child and ne
less beloved husband.
NEW WAY TO Cook CHICKENs.-Cu
the chicken up, put it in pan and Gov
or IT. over with water. let if stew as usu