l82 Windfalls 



would get it ! The anxious moments dragged 

 wearily along, and then, as luck would have 

 it, because of the plump appearance of that 

 particular dumpling, auntie placed it before 

 her father. He was busily engaged in a bit 

 of argument at the time, and, without looking 

 at his plate, covered it with syrup and then 

 pressed it with his fork. It did not yield 

 as a dumpling should, and, pressing it still 

 harder, it rolled from under his hand and 

 bounded across the table. " Well !" ex- 

 claimed grandpa. I didn't look up. " Good- 

 ness !" said auntie, in a startled way ; but I 

 had to raise my eyes, and I caught just a 

 glimpse of my rubber ball, from which the 

 dough had peeled, and that grinning face 

 was staring at auntie. Her later exclama- 

 tions and grandpa's tut' t tut were too much. 

 I left my dumpling untasted, nor looked 

 back until well hidden in the hill-side woods. 

 There has been but little chilly weather 

 as yet, but enough to change the greenery 

 of summer to less cheerful tints, for the 

 asters and golden-rod do not quite replace 

 the brightness of unaltered foliage. As 

 often before, I notice how frost kills in an 

 artistic way, and not in the fashion of the 



