The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1879-10-29
AUTUMN LEAVES.


a pleasant country road. Leaning over
the garden gate OF the picturesque and
manygabled house they have just left,
looking after them. the gentleman shad-
ing his eyes from the sun with his right
hand Mrs. Melicent Ogden, widow, and
Mr.. Sidney Maurice, old bachelor.l
Mr. Maurice Gurning to his COM
panion, still shading his eyes).-One
would imagine, judging from those
happy youths and maidens, that the vio-
lets were here instead of the golden-rod,
and that the roses were coming. and not
the snow-fakes. They go as merrily to
gather autumn leaves as they went to
seek for Mays sweet blossoms. Life's
spring makes all seasons it's own.
Mrs. Ogden (laughingly).-True. But
that is no reason you should protect
your sight any longer. You have turned
your back upon the sun.
Mr.. Maurice dropping his hand and
walking beside her, as she saunters to-
ward the grape arbor).-When we two
were young. / thought your beauty
much more dazzling than the sun.
Mrs. Ogden (slowly).-That was a
great many years ago.
Mr.. Maurice.-We'll say fifteen.
Mrs. Ogden (knowing it to be nine
teen) AT least sixteen.
Mr.. Maurice.-Is it possible? Look
ing at you, can scarcely believe it to be
half that number.
Mrs. Ogden You have not lost your
talent for flattering.
Mr.. Maurice. Il could not lose what I
never possessed. I abhor flattery.
Time must have been fallen in love with
you when you entered upon the summer
of your lifc-I don't wonder at it-and
the old greybeard ever after, as he made
his yearly roands, 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 wine brown eyes
have the same sparkle and your pretty
mouth the same smile as of old. Only
your form is more matronly, and your
chin not 4 i:lite &c round ,and | should sus-
pect (glancing at Lcr plump HANDY that
you now wear six and Il half instead of
six. The first philopena ever gave:you--
l let you catch me, by-the-bye-was a
pair of gloves. AS for me, the footprints
of the crow are plainly visible around
my eyes, my hair and my mustsche are
turning gray, and the buttons and but
ton-holes of the brown coat in which
you first beheld me Git was Mt the elder
Miss Sargent's sixteenth birthday party,
and you threw Bob Taylor over imme-
diately | was introduced, and allowed
me to feed you with straw berries and
cream the rest of the EVENING" wouldn't t
meet at the present moment by 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 he is forty-one). but
not n day more. And you are entirely
mistaken about the crow's-feet, and 1
see no silver threads among the gold. !"
So, Mr.. Maurice. you get no sympathy
from me on that score.
(They reach the arbor, and seat them
selves upon a rustic bench shaded with
vines.)
Mr.. Maurice Suddenly, after few
moments thoughD. All! Melicent,
what happy, happy days those were
when you seventeen and l two-and-
twenty were SO wildly in love with each
other. That is, when I was wildly in
love with you, and. you thought you
were very much in love with me. Do
you remember the morning in early
April whe n the blue-bird flew a at the
open window, and, perching a.ove your
picture, sang its few sweet notes over
and over again ? And you declared it
was an enchanted prince, like the one in
the fairy tale, who had flown thither for
love OF you? And you made kisses at it,
aud called it such pretty pet names that
| actually grew jealous of the birdP
Mrs. Ogden. - Yes, / remember it
well. And the day we went for water
lilies, and came near being drowned.
Mr.. Maurice.-And I said: In what
more beautiful shape could death come
to us? The smiling sky above, the
flowers around us.
AllH. ou w 81 1st . wv iol-
ly poetical But in spite of the poetry,
caught severe cold, and looked like a
fright for week. And can you recall the
terrible thunderstorm that overlook us
ss we were sauntering through the
woods one August day. and the fearful
clap that shattered the maple tree be-
meath which we sought shelter?
Mr.. Maurice / recall itp Can /
ever forget it, you mean. For that same
clap which you call fearful, but which /
thought heaven-sent, threw you into my
arms, and-I-kissed you.
Mrs. Ogden (blushing rosy red And
the day we went for wild flowers, and
gathered such q quantity, and, stopping
to rest on the porch of the Widow Mar
shaIl's cottage when half way home, for
got them, and left them all there, and
mamma, who was waiting with pitchers
and vases and things to fill, scolded us
for nearly an hourp Dear mamma! she
always liked you, and never forgot you.
Mr.. Maurice with emphasisl In
which respect her daughter did not re-
semble her.
Mrs. Ogden IGNORING the interruption.
And the day stole the jar Of peaches