Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-12-30
tho days delight all over again, the

tho days delight all over again, the
leaves of the old beech were shaking
and quaking in a sweeping storm. NAL
collins birthday was the last pleasant
one of that season. 1t was just ut
the close Of the balmy Indian sum-
mer. And now the fall rains came on
the frosts appeared in earnest and
changed the beautiful color of The
foliage to dull, dry brown.
Flocks of birds flew by; they were
going south to spend the winter, and
chartered gayly on their travels. The
F, foolish leaves envied them their lib
erty and fretted to be free also, that
they might HE away. whithersoever
| they wished.
| One day fierce blast came driving
past, stripping them off from their pa
rents boughs in a merciless manner,
| only one solitary little leaf remaining
Of the many the brave old beech had
possessed. 1t was that which Baby
Bob was after the day Of the picnic.
"Ah!' it sighed, my brothers and sis
tiers have forsaken me; they were al
ways dissatisfied with being held so
close at home; now they have fine
chance to travel"
Some followed the wind on it's on
ward course, hurrying after as fast as
they could. l think they had a notion
of catching up with the birds. Some
| flouy tn tho houcotop op] cot+lod in tho
! caves, where, no doubt, they would
have a fine chance for observation.
Others danced along the ground to the
i brink of the lake, and, making sail
boats OF themselves, embarked on
voyage of discovery over the ripping
dropped silently upon the grass be-
meath the tree and lay still and quiet.
By-and-by our little leaf began to
feel lonely, and spying an oak tree
standing near, on which the leaves
still remained, it took advantage of the
next breath of air to watt itself into
it's neighbours branches, where it
lodged in safety.
please give me shelter" it said;
"you are so strong and can stand 81
much"
But the oak leaves were very
churlish at this request and rustled
stif1y.
"Why did you not hold fast as We
have done?" they answered. 1T will
take a pretty stiff breeze to loosen
us!" And they ratified defiantly at
the whistling wind; but the wind
| laughed in derision at this idle boast.
"Wait and see-wait and see!" ne
said.
The poor little leaf, thus repulsed,
fluttered disconsolately to the ground.
Here it lay for some time, signing
sadly at it's fate, till the wind, who
was not so hard-hearted after all, on
| ly somewhat boisterous in it's DISPOSE
ton, took pity on it's forlorn condition
and tried it's best to whisk it back to
it's companions under the old beech.
But it was too low-spirj!ed to raise
itself up, and so the rowing fellow
passed on and left it. Before long a
brisk young squirrel came hopping by
and stopped to crack nut near. The
little leaf at once recognized him as an
old acquaintance, born and reared in
| it's parents branches.
ooh, Mr.. Squirrel" it cried, take
me back to my mates, beseech you!'
| Immediately the squirrel stopped
eating, and glanced down in surprise
at the leaf, whose voice had startled
him; but upon perceiving one of his
summer friends in the outcast strang-
er he quickly recovered himself, and
promised to carry it home as soon as
he was through with breakfast. So
when he had finished the nut he
seized it in his sharp teeth, gave two
or three sharp jumps over the ground.
reached the beech, relinquished his
hold, and at last our poor wait found
itself safe among it's fellows.
Here it lay during the long winter.
The heavens wept in compassion, and
the tears fell to the earth, soaking it
through and through. Then the snow
came and covered it up, kindly hiding
from sight the ragged, shapeless lit
tie thing which was all that remained
of the once beautiful leaf
! When spring returned and the grass
| grew green the children came to play
again beneath the old beech trees
shade. 1t had a lovely new set Of
leaves now. and the feet of the little
mortals trod heedlessly over the place
| where one of last summer lay buried;
but it could not feel-it was quite
! dead.
| Tom was there, and Bob and
Madge; but there was one of the num-
Der missing, and when Madge read the
| letters on the bark-"Malcolm D.,
aged fourteen"-there were tears in
her eyes. Turning them toward The
far-off sky, she whispered:
| 6'Malcolm's an angel now! and the
rest hushed their merry voices and fol-
| lowed her gaze, thinking, perhaps, 20
pierce in heaven, whittier their