OCR Text |
Show ONE SUMMER NIGHT T DO not think, it Is fair," said the . $- Maple. "We wear green all summer, sum-mer, and look at tbe gay clothes our cousins, the flowers, wear!" "I have looked at them often and often," said the Chestnut tree, spreading spread-ing out her branches to better see Into i the garden below. The Oak tree said she, too, had often of-ten longed for a change of dress "something dark and rich," she said. "I would choose if I could have a new one." "And why should we not have new ones?" asked a pretty Beech tree. "I feel sure that some one could help us to get them if we only asked." "But of whom could we ask such a imiiiiiii)iMMi'iiPMi).i,.tiiMii.M.iiii:nni!liili.j would choose the shade like the tab Sunflower which looks over the gar den wall." "But all this choosing of colors foi our gowns does not get them," said the Maple, "and it seems to me that our sister Oak can help us, for does she not furnish for the fairies and the goblins their cups? Everyone knows that acorns are fairy and goblin gob-lin dishes." The Sturdy Oak began to move. "1 never thought of that," she said. "I'l! ask this very night." And she did, hut the fairies told her they could do very little besides getting get-ting the goblins to listen to their request re-quest for Jack Frost kept all the fall shades up In his house in the North. "You see," said the fairies, "you could not put on those gay colors when the flowers are in bloom because be-cause the green is needed to make the world beautiful, but we are sure that later in the season you could have your wish." The Goblins listened to the trees and promised to see Jack Frost as soon as he was awake, and when the flowers went to sleep that season the trees were given their new clothes and there they stood all gay and beautiful beauti-ful like a huge bouquet, and every year since that time they have changed their dresses as soon as the flowers went to sleep. "And to think that, we wore those green clothes all that time," said the Maple, "when for the asking we were given these beautiful clothes the very latest autumn colors." But so proud were these trees in their new gowns that they rustled and shook themselves until all their gay leaves fell off. and though every year they think they, will be more careful, their pride is so great they cannot stand still and when winter days come they are without a leaf to cover them (Cr.pyrlght.) I fEMA Wrox?" favor?" said the Maple. "No one but the fairies could bring about such a change, but If I could change my dress I would not care for a plain color. I should choose gold and red." The Maple rustled as she .spoke, as If she were Rlready dressed In her fine new clothes. "Oil, I would choose to be dressed like rny cousin Marigold in the garden," gar-den," said the Chestnut tree. "I have always admired her color." "I quite agree with your choice, my dear."-said the Beech tree, "only I |