The silver star., 1897-12-30

COIN B OlTt0udy WuS the a"'e
one OF that season. 1t was just n'
the close Of the balmy Indian sum
mer. And now the fall rains came ON.
the frosts appeared in earnest ana
changed the beautiful color OF mo
foliage to dull. dry brown.
Flocks of birds flew by; they were
going south to spend the winter. anu
chartered gayly on their travels. Inc
foolish leaves envied them their I'D
erty and fretted to be free also. tnat
they might HE away whithersoever
they wished.
One day a fierce blast came driving
past. stripping them OF from their pa
rents boughs In a merciless manner
only one solitary little leaf remaining
Of the many the brave old beech nad
possessed. 1t was that which BABY
Bob was after the day Of the picnic.
"Ah!" 1t sighed. my brothers and sis-
ters have forsaken me: they we're al
ways dissatisfied with being held 80
close at home; now they have fne
chance to travel"
| Some followed the wind on Its on
ward course. hurrying after as fast as
they could. think they had notion
of catching up with the birds. Some
few to the housetop and settled In the
caves. where. no doubt, they would
have fine chance for observation.
Others danced along the ground to the
brink OF the lake, and. making sail
boats OF themselves, embarked on
voyage of discovery over the ripping
waters. while the rest. less ambitious,
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. 1t took advantage OF the
next breath of air to watt itself into
Its neighbor's branches. where 1t
lodged in safety.
please give me shelter" 1t said;
you are so strong and can stand So
much
But the oak leaves were very
churlish at this request and rustled
stiffiy.
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!" he
said.
The poor little leaf. thus repulsed
futtered disconsolately to the ground
Here it lay for some time. signing
sadly at its fate, till the wind. who
was not so hard-hearted after all. on
ly somewhat boisterous in its disposi-
ton. took pity on its forlorn condition
and tried its best to whisk 1t back to
its companions under the old beech.
But 1t was too low-spirited to raise
itself up. and SO the rowing fellow
passed on and left 1t. Before long a
brisk young squirrel came hopping ~
and stopped to crack a nut near. The
little leaf at once recognized him as an
old acquaintance, born and reared In
its parents branches.
"Oh. Mr.. Squirrel" 1t 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-
err he quickly recovered himself. and
promised to carry 1t home as soon as
he was through with breakfast. Sc
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 waif found
itself safe among its fellows.
Here it lay during the long winter
The heavens wept in compassion, and
the tears fell to the earth. soaking II
through and through. Then the snow
came and covered 1t up. kindly hidins
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 oi
leaves now. and the feet OF the little
mortals trod heedlessly over the place
whore one Of last summer lay buried
but 1t could not feel-it was quite
lead.
Tom was there. and Bob and
Madge; but there was one of the mum.
Der missing. and when Madge read tn,
letters on the bark Malcolm D.
aged fourteen"-there were tears In
her eyes. Turning them toward IN,
far-oh sky. she whispered:
"Malcolm's an angel now!" and IN,
rest hushed their merry voices and fol
lowed her gaze. thinking, perhaps, e