Autumn Song

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 226, 20 June 1936, Page 25

Autumn Song

Let me bring to thee, O 'mortals. My treasures rich and rare. The April showers on tlie ferny bowers, And the sweet, warm, scents in the air

Let me bring thee, luscious berries. Purple grapes for the sparkling wine, Autumn flowers in the dusky hours. All Is yours, that once was mine.

Take from me all. dear mortals. The dying leaves and their smell, Tlie diamond dew, I give tliee, too, Oh, use my treasures well.

Take from me ail that I offer. And when my brief reign is done. On a winter's night, by tlie warm firelight, Think of my treasures —by one one. —Original, by "Tess” (14). Levin.

“ The Faithful Old Clock ” The clock counted away the seconds in a gentle voice. “Oh, be quiet !” cried Mary, who wsw doing a sum. “It’s horrid of you. I have to go to bed at eight.” Then the clock struck six.

"Only six,” thought Billy, who was learning his lessons in the garden. "I wish it would hurry up and be seven. What a lovely surprise I've got for Mary at seven.”

At half-past six the faithful old clock struck again, and Mary threw a cushion at it. It rocked for a moment, then fell and stopped counting the seconds. "I can't think why clocks'were invented,” thought Mary. ■ "They send us to bed, and drag Uw up, keep you practising for hours, and ’even boil your eggs hard if you don’t keep your eyes on those four nasty little minutes!” So seven, o’clock flew by, and there was no one to call out its name. Mary finished her sum, and Billy waited patiently, listening with both ears. “What’s tlie time?” he called at last.

“The clock’s stopped,” Mary replied through the window. Billy shouted to the boy next door, and, when lie heard it was half-past seven he rushed into the house and shook the old clock till the wheels rattled.

"How dare you stop?” he cried. “Father eaid Mary and I could leave the house at seven and meet him at the river. He has a little boat and ice-cream, too! He'll think we haven't finished our homework, and he’ll have gone now.” “Doq’t lose your temper, Billy,” said the .clock. “I can’t please everybody. You are sorry when I call out eight, but the baker’s little boy is happy because he can go and play on the green. You don t like getting up at seven, but the horses and cows are just laughing with joy to be out in the open again. It’s all very well to way I send you to bed, but don’t I send you to parties, too. and tell you the time to take the train when you go to the sea?”

“I never thought of that,” cried Mary. “Billy, go and see the right time, and we’ll put him straight, and never grumble at the old dear again.”— Original, by “Heather Bell (15), Mai’tinborough.