AUTUMN HAS COME

Otago Witness, Issue 2720, 2 May 1906, Page 13

AUTUMN HAS COME

Have you ever tried to preserve autumn leaves? Here is a short poem on Falling Leaves, and also what I think is an interesting article on the study of autumn leaves : —

How the Leaves Came Down. (Susan Coolidge.j

"I'll tell you how the leaves Came down," The great tree to his children said ; "You're getting sleepy. Yellow and Brown, Yes, very sleepy, little Red." "Ah!" begged each silly pouting leaf, "Let ns a little longer stay"; Dear Father Tree, behold our grief; .^ ■ 'Tis such a very pleasant day, We do not want to go away." So. just for one more merry day To the great tree the leaflets clung, Frolicked and danced, and had their way, Upon the autumn breezes swung. Syhispericg all their sports ajnpag,-*

" Perhaps the great tree will forget, And let us stay until the spring, If we all beg, and coax, and fret. ' But the great tree did no such thing; He smiled to hear their whispering. " Come, children, all to bed," he cried ; And ere the leaves could urge their prayer, He shook his head, and far and wide, Fluttering and rustling everywhere. Down sped the leaflets through the air. I saw them ; on the ground they lay, Golden and red, a huddled swarm, Waiting till one from far away, White bedclothes heaped upon her arm, Should come to wrap them safe and -vrarni. The great bare tree looked down and smiled; '• Good-night, dear little leaves, he saiQ. And from below each, sleepy child Keplied, " Good-night." and murmured, " It is so mc« to go to bed I"