The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-10-23


 and fogs.
 Look at the highland forests, or those on the borders of the lakes and rivers, where every tree and vine and open nook may be seen in royal garments. The imperial oak in his kingly mantle of tyrean purple, reminding the lovers of nature of the grand garment fringed with gold and precious gems which the King of Tyre sent as peace offering to the majestic Solomon by his trusted craftsman, Hiram Abiff. Tyrean pur- pie is noble color and never fades. Beside the oak is the more majestic walnut, and the dignif1ed rock maple, whose foliage reflects the beautiful col ors of the prism, and radiates all the solar rays as the winds play among their quivering leaves. Natures harp may we'll claim golden strings and send forth Joyous anthems, for all her harp strings seemed touched with ieweled fingers. The elm in courtly robes, and the chestnut crowned with diadem of clustering nuts which twinkle in the sunlight like tiny caskets holding un- seen jewels. They await the touch Of the forest to release them from their imprisonment, The vine-clad locust, the birch and beech trees with their small clustering offerings, which like the walnut, chestnut and hazel cling lovingly to their branches till the frost frees them from their silver-lined burs, where they have been tenderly cher ished through the long bright summer, and now must lay them like rich offer ings upon the altar where autumn lays her reasures-beautifu gifts to the God of the harvest
 Each tree seems to have brought it's best to reward nature for her stead fast law of protection. The clear air and tender smiling sun are the response of acceptance falling upon the grand old forests like answers to prayers.
 There is ever and forever the great exchange--the law of reciprocity be- tween the trees and the earth. What the tree loses the earth gains, and what the earth gives, the trees receive it through their roots deeply embedded in the soil How beautiful and how just; how tender and true nature is with all her pets, especially her trees. The leaves seem to put on their brightest dress before leaving the branches of the parent trees. They seem like young brides dressed for the altar.
 The hills of New England never look prettier than they do the first of Octo- Der, when all the trees are in gala dress. The naples in the low lands and the oaks on the hills; the stately elms and birches. claiming their right to more el-
 evated places, dressed in carmine and vermillion, add glory to the scene, while the other trees less ambitious appear sobered down to more religious colors, like soft amber, sometimes relieved by the brilliant and glossy green of hem | lock and pine while the graceful birch es sway their silvery branches like scepters in the sun.
 The dog wood and locust Haunt their 1 leaves and tendrils as if challenging ether trees to an equal exhibition of beauty ar.d pride The willow and basswood refusing the challenge, bow | meekly before their taller neighbor. 1 The willows weeping quietly over their 1 fading bloom, yet appearing still more graceful in their silent mourning, like | young widows bending over the graves I of their lost loves.
 There are other trees Haunting their l frost flowers in the wind. The linden l and tall poplars, each in gorgeous col l ors, while the mountain ash with it's scarlet berries, glories in fruit too bitter 1 for human taste, and offers them only l as medicine for the sick and afflicted | classes of animal life. How strikingly 1 these pictures of the forests in autumn remind the human family of their own l vanity which death is sure to disap- l point and forever destroy.
 1 Coming down to the smaller varieties I of vegetation--the smilax and black al l der, common in all New England for 1 ests, the smilax creeps from shrub to 1 shrub, calling kindly at every door l carrying it's gay festoons of purple | fruit; it's large, shield-like leaves oi | glossy sea- green throw a sacred air 1 about those vines which seem like mer-
 ry gossips carrying glad tidings from 1 one tree to another. The cedars and l spruce, the dignified pyramids of horn beam with it's clusters of small, purple fruit contrasting with the golden-rod and clematis, and the thickets of brush. wood which decorate the hills and val 1 leys of New England forests, all these
 make brilliant and picturesque scenery dear to all lovers of nature when the | n-fringed horizon shuts down or the far distant mountain summits. The people of the south and west have theil own beautiful country scenery and l do not feel attracted to the more north. l ern climates, and yet, they do not fai to admire the northern forests in au. tumnal seasons, those tall forests arc always responsive to the gentle anG delicate touch of the south winds. The ened by the softened glow of changing coIors and lingering kiss of Indian sum.
 mer, the time when the grape-vines arc putting forth their rich, purple fra gTance and the treasures of the fores trees are ripening for the harvest, ant
 the black berries are offering their clus ters of seed-pearls, those black dia monds always gladden. the hearts O the people, though they enjoy the sum
 ner season most and go back witl
 longing desire to the spring-time whel
 the roses and lilies brighten the earth
 when the simple, delicate flowers of th
 apple trees and grape-vines displa.
 only the germs of clustering fruit
 when the tulip trees are in full blossom and the magnolia tree speaks softly O the south; when the pond lilies are ex banding their rich white velvet petal
 and hearts of gold, for in this season
 they ride upon the still waters ik |,