170 Twelve Months With 



blazing banners until the wide, illumined land- 

 scape becomes aflame with her gorgeous colors. 



The old earth has grown tired a little, and mute 

 of song. Though the brilliant coats of birds and 

 their happy voices are now largely a pleasant 

 memory of summer days that are gone, prodigal 

 nature hath other pleasures in store, and 



"All the woods and mountains seem to shine 

 As if He turned their water into wine." 



Although there is none of the noisy, joyous exu- 

 berance of spring, October brings a sweet autumnal 

 calm, as if the weary earth were resting a little ere 

 winter comes. The spirit of October days breathes 

 in these lines of Ellen P. Allerton : 



"No loud, high notes for tender days like these ! 

 No trumpet tones, no swelling words of pride 

 Beneath these skies, so like dim summer seas, 

 Where hazy ships of cloud at anchor ride. 



At peace are earth and sky, while softly fall 

 The brown leaves at my feet; a holy palm 

 Rests in a benediction over all, 

 O silent peace ! O days of silent calm." 



This "silent calm" of October has its influence 

 upon the birds as upon other things in nature, and 

 at this season they are to be seen and not heard. 



They come not to sing, but to give us a "back- 

 ward look," as Emily Dickinson expresses it. 



