Evening journal., 1889-06-01
TURNING NEW LEAVES.
THOUGHTS ON NATURES AND MANS
WAYS OF DOING 1T.

Inc Leaves IN the Doohs W Ehturo wen
Written Upon-Papa Never Did Any
thing wrong-Morallzing on Spring
Day-Four Perfect Things In Nature.
How many beautiful Ideas are framed into
language and float all about from somewhere
up the stream Of time Why did some one
call the thin lamin@ Of paper which make up
a book, leaves, Indeed, 10 was a pretty
thought, for how like the leaves they are,
thin, fragile, perishable, and nowadays
there are almost as many Of one kind Of
leaves as Of the other. Yes, and as for kinds
and STYLES there are almost as many In hooks
an on the trees, but are there any so witty
and wisei II you will make a study Of the
ieaves-that Is, the book OF nature-you will
see they are marvelously we'll written upon
And you will not find one that Is not illus
trated with finer art than even adorns the
pages Of our art books See how well cut
a&a the edges, and enameled, which is better
than gilded Some one has said If we could
live as long as Methuselah we should not be
able to find out all there Is TO be learned
from a single rose leaf. That is more than
we can say of our book leaves, although
know some thnt seem 70 be nearly as good as
rose leaves
LEAVES IN OUR LIVES.
"Wel well,n said John. as we sat down TO
the breakfast table this morning, ''we must
all turn over new leaves today a." '1is an
old saying, father" answered, "but tell me
why we should turn leaf today more than
any other day" "Truly, do not know" +"
said John. IL suppose If one lives rightly
there is enough in each day TO fill leaf with
good things, and then one may turn it over
In the morning But II 1t be bad, then one
had better tear It out altogether. only
said "one cannot do that, and there is
where the likeness fails, for we can pick off
the trees worm eaten leaf, but in the life
book il must stay forever" ut is curious, "
said John, that one can never forget. Only
last night, in a dream, recalled events 10
the utmost minutise, that have not thought
of in my waking hours for twenty years, and
| cannot now possibly by force Of purpose
bring il back 80 fully and clearly. But did
II in my sleep, and shall no doubt do It again
What a terrible thing it would be TO live for
ever in a bad dream never wake up. but
never cease to dream on-recalling and re
hearsing the evil one has done.n
But, papa" said Ned, you have never
done anything bad, you know-so what's the
use Of talking about i'll" Now. John, Jr.
has great faith In me, but Ned has boundles.
faith in his father The blessed innoconts
but am glad il is SO, for If not life would bt
a desert to us who SEQ and know our faults
So said, Yes, John, think We will al
turn over new leaves today. 1t is the flr%t
day of spring and nature is already at WORT
with her new leaves. She will not turn them
over only, but viii make them outright, anc
swing them high, and Gil them up as they
grow And then we must not forget that a.
soon as leaves begin to get large enough fol
the wind to turn them over, there viii alsC
be blossoms, and with blossoms sweetnes
and wholesomenesSn "And there will bt
fruit also In due time,n added John, "if some
thing do not Interfere So Isuppose our nev
leaves must not be quite like book leaves. bui
more like apple leaves But there is great
difference in fruitsn
OUT IN THE FIELDS AND FOREST.
Bat do not like moralizing, especially o
the old Hannah More sort, because there
no end to It any more than there Is b a spi
der's web, so proposed that we finish ou
eating and go out and see nature at her work
/ What can be finer than a spring day that
full OF premouition and preliminariesI 1t wa
not yet May by any means, but 1t was Ma
day-soft and warm-but above all unuttei
ably quiet Did it ever occur to you that o
some days Nature hersef Is listenlng-pei
haps trying to hear her own pulse beatf Th
elms and soft naples we're shaking out thei
infinite plenitude Of blossoms, and tho Eng
lish elms looked as II covered with a greo
crop Of hops ! wish these trees would tur
over new leaf, for they begin the yea
wrong end foremost
They ripen a vast crop Of seeds and fin
them down over all the lawns, and all sun
mer they arc sprouting and springing
every nook and corner, and outside of all th
nooks too. said this to John, and he cnl
answered that If | could have my way theI
would be funny world after awhile. Di
we not come out to turn over leaves an
amend thingsi To be surel But ! wish thl
men would turn over a new leaf, and get ri
Of their sarcasm and conceit All, but whl
splendid creatures they would be after awhil
II we only had the way of it and the maxim
Of them.
The lilac is the finest shrub in tho worl
It has every good quality. 1t comes so yer
early, is loaded with blossoms, is not on
sweet, but healthily sweet; is as easily grow
as a thorn bush or nettle | like fow'
that takes to the poor people and Will gro
without extra care. That is the lilac eSactl.
just what tho geranium is in pots the lilac
in our yards. We sat down by the gre
bushes Of purple and white Persians, al
watched the young tufts Of flowers. The
were more flowers than leaves and one
two punches were just opening.
Fresh young grass, full Of greenness az
dotted with blue violets, is tine, also, for q
same reason. They belong TO every one, a.
are never stinted in quantity-neither era
nor violets Then. overhead, should be, iii
Of all, apple trees With grass, violets,
lacs and apple trees spring is complete ever
where These do not need to turn over al
new leaves, by way Of amendment. tn
are four Of the perfect things in nature.
Mary Spencer in St Louis Globe Democr;