Show THE STORY OF A LEAF BY G 11 T was Mal malcolms colias birthday and the children were having a picnic in honor of 0 the event out on the lawn they I 1 had been romping and playing all the morning and malcolm lay under the old beech watching them presently nurse camo came out carr carrying carroli yli baby bob on one arm and the basket of luncheon on the other she put plit deb bob down be beside side his brother then spreading the white tablecloth on the grass co commenced fenced to set out the 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 not very long ions before the sharp eyes ot of the little folks spied the attractions waiting for them which was a signal for a general suspension of 0 games and with one accord they all hastened to the rural feast when gathered around malcolm at tho the head and nurse at the toot foot to assist in dispensing the dainties toni tom said it was fit to set before a king not a very original remark but toms mother goose days had 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 the children laughed and chatted the baby crowded and the nurse looked on well pleased to see their happy faces and listen laten to their praises of the sweet morsels they were dispa dispatching Aching overhead the leases 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 fiut ter away and elude the tha grasp of 0 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 leaf he sprang from his seat upon the ground saying never mind bob you an shall have it so you shall but before he could make good his promise malcolm stopped him dont touch it tom he said deb bob will forget all about it pretty soon he would only pull it to pieces anyhow or leave it to wither and some bow I 1 always imagine that leaves and flowers and such things can feel tom sat down again without a word tor lor they always minded malcolm por poor boy he was lame and although the oldest was not strong and active like the erest erast of his brothers and sisters but he could tell the most beautiful stories about fairies giants and othir wonderful things and now he offered 11 h R INI I 1 1 1 TELLING THE STORY to repeat one of his tales it they would listen to him alro of course they would was there ever a time when they so the remains of 0 the party w were ere quickly stowed away in he basket a circle of eager expectant expectants expect ants formed and malcolm began the leaves listened to the interesting recital and when the dan dangers gera and adventures were passed and t he e story ended with the good being rewarded and the bad punished followed the c cheer h e er the children gave by a grand flourish to signify their approval also but I 1 dont believe the little mortals understood it in that way they only thought it was the wandering wind straying through the branches which had put them in motion there was one which danced about longer than any it was that one malcolm had saved from its would be destroyers and was trying to express its gratitude to its preserver how it trembled and shivered when it thought of its narrow escape it was more than a hailstorm it whispered to its mates males after a while the boys and girls went off to play again the leaves recommenced their old gome game of hide and seek with the sunbeams and malcolm was left alone once more he sat upon the bench against the old tree and cut his name in the smooth bark malcolm alcolm Al D aged 14 madge rosy and out of breath from a long chase at catcher rushed up just as he be finished there he be said 1 I shall add a number cumbe r for every year 1 I wonder how many in any there will be not until the sun was going down in the west did the children diapers dis pers then while they slept and dreamed tho days delight all over again the leaves leaves of the old beech were shaking and quaking in a sweeping orm mal I 1 bolms birthday was the laet pleasant ono one of that season it was just at the close of the balmy indian summer and now the tall fall rains came on the frosts appeared in earnest a and nd changed the beautiful color of I 1 the foliage to a dull dry brown flocks of birds flew by they were going south to append the winter ind and chattered gayly on their travels the foolish leaves envied them their liberty 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 boll boughs ha in a merciless manner only one solitary little leaf remaining of the many the brave old beech had possessed it was that v which aich gaby baby bob was after the lay day of the picnic ali ah it sighed my brothers and sisters have forsaken me they were nvere always dissatisfied with being held so close at home now they have a fine chance to travel some followed the wind on its onward course hurrying after as fast as they could I 1 think they had EL a notion of catching up with the birds soule some flew to the housetop and settled in the eaves where no doubt they would have a fine chance tor for observation others danced along the ground to the brink of the lake and making sailboats of themselves embarked on a voyage of discovery over the rippling waters while the rest less ambitious dropped silently upon the grass beneath 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 0 air to waft itself into its neighbors branches where it lodged in safety please give me shelter it said you are so strong and can stand so much dut but the oak leaves were very churlish at this request and rustled sti stiffly fIly why did you not hold fast as ve have done they answered it will take a pretty stiff breeze to ito loosen us and they rattled defiantly at the whistling wind but the wind laughed in derision at this idle boast wait and see walt wait and see he said the poor little leaf thus repulsed fluttered disconsolately to the ground here it lay for some time sighing sadly at its fate till the wind who was not so hardhearted hard hearted after all only somewhat boisterous in its disposition took pity on its forlorn condition and tried its best to whisk it back to 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 jong ions a brisk young squirrel came hopping ay iy y 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 it cried take me back to my mates I 1 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 tha outcast stranger he quickly recovered himself and promised to carry it home as soon as he was through with bieak breakfast fast 1 so 1 0 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 sate safe among its fellows here it lay during the long winter the heavens wept in compassion and the tears tell 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 leaf when spring returned and the grass grew green the children came to play again beneath the old beech trees shade it 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 quits quite lead dead tom was there and deb bob and madge but there was wag one of the number missing and when madge read tho the letters on the bark Af malcolm alcolm D aged fen fourteen arteen t there here were tears in her eyes turning them toward the he far off sky she whispered malcolms an angel now and tho the rest hushed their merry voices es and followed her gaze thinking perhaps lo 10 0 o pierce in heaven whither their brother had gone |