Middletown transcript., 1893-10-21
AUruMN,s FAREWELL DANCE.

!. One bright Autumn day there wa
. an universal rustic among the leave
: and blossoms and feathery browl
D grasses that grew by the brook. Their
seemed, too, an unusual stir among
the crickets and grasshoppers. Wha
could it be that had set them to tuning
: their little fiddles so vigorously? Tit
! Southwest wind knew. Since ever.
morning he had flown about whisper
ing a message to the birds, the bee'
, and every living thing out of doors
, This is the message be brought them
"Mrs. Autumn invites You to party
to be given for our friends, the Birds
who are soon to go South for the
Winter. The party will be given al
Mrs. Autumn's country place, Out Of
Doors -
"Yes," said Mrs. Autumn, to her
friends, aSpring gave the Brides Ball,
and Summer has been made very happy
by their songs. II will be pleasure
to me to give them farewell dance"
i Mrs. Autumn's daughters. Septem-
Der, October and November, were to
decorate the house for the party.
Lovely September brought sheayes Of
golden grain, plumes of nodding golden
rod and yellow corn.
ssOh, how beautiful, Septemberl"
cried October, coming in with her
arms full Of purple erapes and trailing
crimson vines and scarlet leaves.
Then, when November had added deli
cate brown grasses and scarlet berries.
the house wac beautiful indeed.
"I must order new gown for the
party said September. my last
years gown was spoiled by the equi-
noctial Storm" So she ordered one of
yellow. trimmed with tassels of the In
dian corn.
81, too, must have new one." said
October. For when November came
last year, / lent her mine. How well
she looked in it Every one said she
was the most charming November ever
seen.n
LET me paint you gown for the
party, Octobsr," sold little Jack Frost.
II know your favorite colors."
.'Ob, thank you. Jack" J" said October.
"You may indeed" So that night
when the world was asleep, the little
artist worked; and in the morning there
stood October In gown of crimson
and russet, all dashed with crimson
and orange. "Now, Jack, do paint
one for November. Perhaps we can
persuade her to wear gay colors again
this year."
With pleasure, said Jack. But when
he looked In his paint-box be was SO
sorry, s'Oh, November, be cried, ,"I've
nothing left but brown and white"
"Never mind, Jack, ''said November.
Brown is my favorite color" So
November's gown was of soft brown,
trimmed with oak leaves.
Soon the guests began to arrive.
The Misses Poplar come first, all in
lovely yellow. They were fallowed by
the Misses Maple in crimson and yellow
escorted by their brother, Mr.. Swamp
Maple in scarlet. The breeches, Chest
nuts were there in gay colors; the Oaks
come in last in dull crimson and brown.
And what music there was for the
dancingl High In tree sat our old
friend, Professor Wind, leading the
band. The Crickets brought their vio-
Inns. The Bumble-bees played >the
bass-viol, and the Woo1pecker the
drum. Grasshopper Green was there
with his ''dozen wee boys'' who were
quite grown up by this time. They
had changed their little green jackets
for brown ones, and each carried his
little fiddle under his wing.
The Katydid had been asked to en-
tertain the guests by story: "The
story of Katy" But before the time
for storytelling came, slight differ
ence Of opinoin arose among them as to
something Katy did or didn't do. And
they became SO interested in discuss
ing the matter, that they forgot all
about tellin their story; not one word
did they say all the evening except
katy didn't Katy didl''
The birds fitted softly from spray
to spray, saying goodbye to their
friends. Their songs we're not as loud
and joyous as at the Birdies' Ball.
Were they thinking of their emp y
nests2 We're they thinking of the long
journey before them? Yet, l know
that not in the heart of one of them
was a doubt that the kind Friend who
had always led them, would guide them
u
over land and sea, and bring them
safely back.
What a merry time the dancers had!
1 Grandmother Spider said it made her
feel quite young again to see them.
Mr.. Nutcracker frisking in and out his
hole, with his pockets full OF nuts,
said he would like to dance with them,
but that this was bis busiest season,
and what would the little Nutcrackers
do next winter if he did not work.
AS the party was given in honor OF
the birds, they were the first to thank
/ Mrs. Autumn, and say farewell. 1--WE
thank you, too, dear trees, !" they said,
ssfor the shelter from sun and rain. We
thank you, dear Wind, for rocking our
babies so gently. We thank you. dear
Grasses, for your help in building our
nests. And we thankiyou, dear Earth,
for the food we have had in abun.
dance.''
Then they fiuttered away like a soft,
brown cloud, to sleep with their heads