52 ARBOR DA Y MANUAL. 



THE ANXIOUS LEAF. 



ONCE upon a time a little leaf was heard to sigh and cry, as leaves often do 

 when a gentle wind is about. And the twig said, " What is the matter, 

 little leaf?" 



And the leaf said, "The wind just told me that one day it would pull me off 

 and throw me down to die on the ground !" 



The twig told it to the branch on which it grew, and the branch told it to the 

 tree. And when the tree heard it, it rustled all over, and sent back word to 

 the leaf, " Do not be afraid; hold on tightly, and you shall not go till you want to." 



And so the leaf stopped sighing, but went on nestling and singing. Every 

 time the tree shook itself and stirred up all its leaves, the branches shook 

 themselves, and the little twig shook itself, and the little leaf danced up and 

 down merrily, as if nothing could ever pull it off. And so it grew all summer 

 long till October. 



And when the bright days of autumn came, the little leaf saw all the leaves 

 around becoming very beautiful. Some were yellow and some scarlet, and some 

 striped with both coJors. Then it asked the tree what it meant? And the tree 

 said, "All these leaves are getting ready to flyaway, and they have put on these 

 beautiful colors because of joy." 



Then the little leaf began to want to go too, and grew very beautiful in think- 

 ing of it. and when it was very gay in colorj it saw that the branches of the 

 tree had no bright color in them, and so the leaf said, "O branches ! why are 

 you lead color and we golden ? " 



"We must keep on our work clothes, for our life is not done; but your 

 clothes are for holiday, because your tasks are over," said the branches. 



Just then, a little puff of wind came, and the leaf let go, without thinking of 

 it, and the wind took it up, and turned it over and over, and whirled it like a 

 spark of fire in the air, and then it dropped gently down under the edge of the 

 fence among hundreds of leaves, and fell into a dream, and never waked up to 

 tell what it dreamed about. 



"Nature never did betray 

 The heart that loved her; 'tis her privilege, 

 Through all the years of this our life, to lead 

 From joy to joy ; for she can so inform 

 The mind that is within us, so impress 

 With quietness and beauty, and so feed 

 With lofty thoughts, that neither evil tongues, 

 Rash judgments, nor sneers of selfish men, 

 Nor greetings where no kindness is ; nor all 

 The dreary intercourse of daily life, 

 Shall e'er prevail against us, or disturb 

 Our cheerful faith that all which we behold 

 Is full of blessing." 



