Show M 2 A 1 W z 91 AO A M z O 1 it I W I 1 A c 1 L J ft 4 u 4 G 1 att 0 5 F V 0 2 i i M 6 j il xi i P c 1 mi S q I 1 BYG IL I 1 t a T was wak malcolms Malcohn 8 birthday the j children cre aliat liat lug a picnic to in bonor ot the event out an ihor lawn they ahey I 1 1 mid bad been roin romping ping I 1 ant ans the mornin gana afia mali maii coha coba lay under the olit beech I 1 watching i them i presently nurse came out carryL ig baby bob on one arm and the basket of luncheon on oa the other she put bob down beside his brother then spreading the white tablecloth on an the grass commenced to set out outtie the goodim goodies such a lot of nice things as mamma had gotten up for the occasion there were sandwiches and tarts candles candies and cakes apples and nuts besides sundry other delicacies too numerous to mention it was waa not very long before the sharp eyes of the little folks spied the attractions waiting for them which was a signal tor for a general suspension of games and with one accord they all hastened to the rural feast when gathered around malcolm at the he head bead and nurse at the foot to assist in iii dispensing the dainties tom said it was fit to set before a king not mot a very original remark but toms mother goose days had bad not been so long past and the rest thought it a deserved compliment yeth indeed lisped saucy madge 1 I with we could take our dinner out here everything tastes so much better than indoors indoor s the tae children laughed and chatted the baby crowded and the nurse looked on well pleased to see their happy faces and listen to their praises of the sweet morsels they were dispatching overhead the leaves of the old beech rustled their approbation of the merry scene seeming to enjoy the sport as much as the partakers par takers themselves from the furthermost twig of a bough quite near the ground there hung one almost within reach which bob perched upon nurses shoulder was vainly trying to catch but the pretty bright thing always managed to flutter away and elude the grasp of his tiny fingers tom watched his efforts an amused spectator and at last when his bis patience exhausted the baby screamed angrily at the provoking I 1 leaf he sprang from his bis seat upon the ground saying never mind bob you shall have it so you shall but before he be could make good his bis promise malcolm stopped him dont touch it tom he said bob will forget all about it pretty soon he would only pull it to pieces anyhow or leave it to wither and somehow I 1 always imagine that leaves and flowers and such things can feel tom sat down again ag a in without a word for they always minded malcolm por boy he was lame and although the oldest was not strong and active like the erest of his brothers and sisters but he could tell the most beautiful stories about fairies giants and othir wonderful things and now he offered R fr r I 1 f 1 I 1 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 1 I 1 1 V I 1 I 1 I 1 t 1 I 1 TELLING THE STORY j to repeat one of his tales if they would woula listen to him of course they would was there ever a time when they so the remains of the party were quickly stowed away in he basket a circle of eager expectants expect ants the leaves listened to the I 1 interesting tereta recital and when the dangers and adventures were passed and the h story ended with the good being rewarded and the bad punished followed the cheer the children gave by a grand graal flourish to signify their approval also but I 1 dont believe the little mortas mortals understood it in that way they thought it was the wandering wind straying through the branches which had put out them in motion there was one which danced about longer than auy y it was that one malcolm had saved from its would be dt destroyers and waa trying to express its gratitude to its preserver how it trembled trem blea and aad shivered when it thought of 0 its narrow escape it was more than tham a hailstorm it whispered to its mates ates after a while the boys and girls went mt off to play again the leaves re cad aher bid same game of we bide and z zek seek with the be sunbeams and malcolm was asi left alone on once cemore more he sat t bench against the I 1 old tree amis bithis hiltl gilld vass an 0 id n the mie balcolm bl colm 35 aged jibed 14 I 1 d mw d 0 oat at olt k breath from an fn hia at cit catcher cher n I 1 alte v thedelia 7 The n em Telia lz O sac I 1 ii shall adda T go rb r B ver 1 11 beir Afy yonder I 1 I 1 abow daany y t I 1 ZW Z ma tyras g afi ahe 1 it AR I 1 W I 1 merk 7 r 11 Y d abrea d abr k 6 ai J 1 D 1 1 e i in oz e W aa SC spa sa s1 S 1 S cl k tj d Z wa 1 e M W sy y t 2 P 1 z 1 3 V 1 kril ii y I 1 1 A 41 1 1 a I I 1 I 1 and aid q quaking amkin in a sweeping store stona max ma wins birthday was the last 1 pleasant one of that season if was lust just at the close of the isley indian zummer and now the tan rains aaroen ea edme roen fob the frosts appeared in fe arnest and changed the beautiful color of rf th 9 foliage am to a dull dry brown flocks of birds flew by they were 1 going south to spend the winter and chattered gayly on their travels the I 1 foolish leaves envied them their lib ib erty and fretted to be tree free also that they might hie away whithersoever they wished one day a fierce blast came driving past stripping them off from their parents boughs in a merciless manner manne 1 only one solitary little leaf rema remaining inin of the many the brave old beech had possessed it was that which baby bob was after the day of the picnic ah it sighed my brothers and sisters have forsaken me they were always dissatisfied with being held so BO close at home now they have a fine chance to travel some followed the wind on its onward course burr hurrying ying after as fast az as they could I 1 think they had a notion of f catching up with the birds some flew to the housetop and settled in the eaves where no doubt they would have a fine chance tor or observation others danced along the ground to th the brink of the lake and making sa boats of themselves embarked on a voyage of dischi discovery ery over the ripp rippling linge waters while the rest less ambitious I 1 dropped upon the grass beneath the tree and lay still and quiet quiel by and by our little leaf began to tc 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 waft itself inac I 1 its neighbors branches where it lodged in safety please give me shelter it said you are so strong and can stand st s much but the oak leaves were ver verb churlish at this request and rust rustled ld stiffly why did you sou not hold fast as re e have done donea they the answered it will wil take a pretty stiff breeze to looser loosen us and they rattled defiantly at the whistling wind but the wind laughed in derision at this idle boast j walt wait arid and see wait and see he I 1 said the poor little leaf thus repulsed fluttered disconsolately to the ground here it lay lav for some time sighing sadly at its fate till the wind who was not so hardhearted hard hearted after all on ly somewhat boisterous in its dispose tion alon took pity on an its forlorn condit condition condetti ti an and tried its best to whisk it back tc I 1 its companions under the old beech but it was too low spirited to raise itself up and so the roving fellow passed on and left it before long a I 1 brisk young squirrel came hopping bopping alry y I 1 and stopped to crack a nut near the I 1 little leaf at once recognized him as a au I 1 old acquaintance born and reared la im j I 1 its parents parent s branches i oh mr squirrel it cried take I 1 me back to my mv mates I 1 beseech you I 1 immediately the squirrel stopped 1 eating and glanced down in surprise at the leaf whose voice voce had startled him but upon perceiving one of his summer friends in the outcast stranger he quickly recovered himself and promised to earn carry it home as soon as ae he be was through with breakfast sc when he had finished the nut he seized it in his sharp teeth gave tac or three sharp jumps over the ground reached the beech rel relinquished inqui shed his bis hold bold 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 it through and through then the snow came and covered it up kindly hiding from sight the ragged shapeless little thing which was all that remained of the once beautiful ul leaf when spring returned and the grass gase g ase 1 grew green the children came to play again beneath the old beech trees t shade it had a lovely new set ol 01 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 quitt quit lead tom was there and bob and anc madge but there was one oae of the num nom her ber missing and when madge read the letters on the bark malcolm D aged fourteen there were tears ir her eyes turning them toward thi th tar far off sky she whispered malcolm s B an angel now and thi th rest hushed their merry voices and fol lowed her gaze thinking perhaps pierce in heaven whither the brother had gone |