IX 



FALLING LEAVES 



Have you ever listened to the wind, the forest 

 harp whispering through the trees in early fall? 

 It has a mournful sound, which as the days pass, 

 gradually grows louder and louder, until it 

 swells into a deep, grand funeral hymn. For 

 it means that the leaves are dying, and that 

 soon they will "put on their dresses of red and 

 gold," and flutter down to keep the roots of 

 grasses and trees warm through the winter. 



What maies the leaves die? Once we 

 thought it was Jack Frost, but now we have 

 learned better. We know that they drop off 

 because the tree has no further use for them. 

 All summer she has breathed through them, and 

 used their cells to store up food and drink. She 

 has, also, used them as a mill for the manufac- 

 ture of starch. They have helped her in all her 

 undertakings throughout the season. Now her 

 work is done. She is getting ready to go to 

 sleep for the winter. She will stand as nearly 

 dormant as possible, her sap will cease to flow, 



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