AUTUMN'S SILVER LINING 



187 



and what may not prove a happier 

 clime. 



It may not be easy, may not seem 

 natural, to take an altogether cheerful 

 view of the drooping flower, withering 

 leaf and those other autumnal features 

 that may appear symbolic of the tran- 

 sitory nature of all things earthly. But 

 if faith and optimism are natural in the 

 spring, why should we not, looking 

 forward to another spring, find a faith 

 firm in direct proportion to what may 

 otherwise seem to be a good reason 

 for doubt? We are too apt to cling to 

 these sad appearances as the dead oak 

 leaf clings to the twig until the new 

 bud literally forces it to let go. Why 

 not think of the glorious awakening 

 which waits for spring's first whisper? 

 Then the cold, the gloom, the rattle of 

 bare boughs, shall not drown a "deeper 

 voice across the storm." How hope- 

 lessly dead ! how far beyond the power 

 of winter's fury to further blight seem 

 already the delicate violets and he- 

 paticas and all their tribe ! Dead to 

 the raging storm ; yet how lightly 

 sleeping if spring should call, though 

 ever so gently. 



Soon a world of tumultuous rejoic- 

 ing will awaken underground, and the 

 news shall have long ceased to be 

 news to every growing and creeping 

 thing before our dull ear shall catch 

 the first syllable of what is going on ; 

 not a morning but shall witness a res- 

 urrection ; not a bud nor a breeze but 

 shall tell the selfsame story of life re- 

 orient from death. Edmund T. Sawyer. 



A Dainty Reminder of Nature. 



The illustration shows typewritten 

 lines decorated by strawberry leaves. 

 In the black and white print these il- 

 lustrations fail to do justice to the 

 beauty of the originals, that were of 

 the daintiest autumn tints. They are 

 the work of Mrs. Fannie E. Blakely, 

 the botanist of ArcAdiA, who made 

 these Christmas souvenirs for some of 

 her immediate friends. She says that 



during this last autumn the coloring 

 of the strawberry leaves was unusual- 

 ly attractive and brilliant. She does 

 similarly decorative work with var- 

 ious other tinted leaves. Sometimes, 



AUTUMN CHRISTMAS GIFTS. 



even in midwinter, such leaves may 

 be found in sheltered places. This is 

 a good suggestion for appropriate sou- 

 venirs from the realm of nature that a 

 naturalist may give to his friends. 



Beauty is really given only to those 

 who open their minds and hearts by 

 education to perceive and receive it. — 

 Hamilton Wright Mabie. 



