ou 
“ye 
_with chilling hail and sleet. 
“IN AUTUMN FIELDS.” 
NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
Subject of Rev. L. H. Ruge’s Sermon at Congregational Church 
Manchester Last Sunday. 
Toxta> << While earth remaineth harvest 
shall not cease.”? Gen. VIL: 22. 
The autumn trees have put their glory 
on... The tender young leaves of spring 
are pretty in their light yellow and green, 
but the autumn leaves are surpassingly 
beautiful in their gorgeous mass of strik- 
ing colors. So the tender age of child- 
hood is admired but the glory of man is 
mature manhood. 
The coloring of the leaf is not the 
fading of the leaf but the ripening of the 
leaf. The process of colorings in bronze 
red and brown, scarlet and purple, is 
similar to the ripening of the fruits, and 
although the frost may contribute its 
share to the final ripening of the leaf it 
does not color it. Indeed, if the frost 
came too soon it would turn all the 
foliage a dull brown. 
Some trees easily outshine all others 
especially certain maple trees ‘The 
leaves easily oxidize and a long mild fall 
brings out, as happens this season, the 
most beautiful tints. 
Oak leaves contain much tannin and 
the oxidation color of tannin is usually a 
dull brown, although at times we get 
some fine pastel browns much admired. 
After the harvest comes the sear, dead 
leaf. Afterthe corn the dry mournful 
rustling of the stalks. The last cry of 
the wild bird is heard on its wings south- 
ward. Evening brings its damp chill air 
like the breath of a host of unseen dead. 
The grey morning light shows us the 
path where the hosts of King. Frost 
passed by at midnight and early morn. 
The grey clouds gather across the skies 
laden not with refreshing showers but 
Soon na- 
ture will be shrouded in het white man- 
tle of death, her throbbing pulse will. be 
still. : 
But are there no compensations in this 
season of the year? The husbandman 
has been rewarded for his toil under the 
burning sun. The faith of the sower 
has been vindicated. Barns and bins are 
groaning under enormous weights of 
agricultural wealth. Songs of cheer fill 
the autumn air as the reapers return to 
rest from their toil to eat the fruits now 
safely gathered. 
The long winter evenings drive us 
There shall be. 
back to the hearth fire. 
more time for meditation at. eventide, 
and friends and neighbors shall again 
cultivate the social amenities of life with- 
out which all harvests would: be barren. 
And so as we gather around the crackling 
logs we shall take all that is best in the 
fields togladden the interior of our homes, 
I want to dwell here upon the harvest 
in life, upon the thought of those who 
are ripening into the human _ harvest. 
Something in the rustle of the sear stalks 
the other evening arrested the attention 
of the pastor and his wife, and it was the 
wife who said: “‘ First the blade, then 
the stalk, then the ripe ear, and at last the 
sear dead leaf,’’—moralizing at the close 
by saying, ‘* That is just the way in life, 
is it not?’’ 
Did the days once seem bright and the 
sun linger long in the sky? “That was in 
summer time, the autumn and winter 
days have come. Was the day once 
warm and the blood leap aiong its un- 
choked course? “That was in summer 
time, the chill of winter is in the air. 
Was the air once vibrant with songs of 
inspiration? “That was in summer time, 
the song birds have flown. 
Do the days pass swiftly by? To the 
children and youth they are just as long 
as ever. Does the air chill? The boys 
and girls, young men and maidens, heed 
it not. Are the fields silent today? A 
thousand songsters are everywhere around 
the laughing youngsters. 
What is its meaning? We have 
passed into the autumn and winter of life. 
The eye grows dim so the sunshine looks 
dull andthe day darkens earlier. ‘The 
ear is closing up so we'do not hear the 
joy notes. The hours of the day hasten 
into the night. 
But are there no compensations here? 
The greatest plea of the lawyer, the fin- 
est legal decisions of the judge are in the 
harvest of life. 
Oyama was 70 when he won his great 
military honors, and Marquis Ito ripened 
into statesmanship at that age. Joseph 
Chamberlain had no peer among men of 
any age when he made that epic speech 
on fiscal reform. The great leaders of 
the United States senate have been aged 
men. We may cite Charles Hazlith, 
consulting engineer of New York City 
at 95 working away asa man inhis prime, 
and many others up to the present. Look 
no further than your own community and 
you will find these men in the front, 
men called old, but only in formal reck- 
oning of time. Men with whom it is 
both profitable and honorable to associ- 
ate. Inthe great conventions we meet 
them snow-crowned but leading, effected 
neither by long days, latitude or longitude. 
The great epics of success are after men 
have reached 50 and 60 years of age. 
No man should therefore mourn his 
harvest days but rejoice. Spring and 
summer have their compensations, but 
the greatest compensation of all is the 
harvest fruits, 
1 
15 
“¢ Why should we mourn that life’s springtime 
has flown, 
Or sigh for the fair summer time? 
The autumn hath days filled with peans of 
praise, 
And the winter hath bells that chime.’’ 
In the autumn there are still many 
duties to occupy the laborer. Cultivate 
the art of occupation for the winter days 
and nights coming on. Above all things 
the thing to be dreaded most in old age 
is idleness. kind an interest in some- 
thing, in easy field sports, in fishing, in 
bee culture, in fancy stock raising, in 
horticultural pursuits. In the indoor 
life find the lighter clerical tasks, or culti- 
vate letter writing to almost forgotten 
friends and renew your youth in memo- 
ries of past associations. If there is a 
time when a skillful hand at games is a 
real blessing it is in old age. Make a 
field for yourself in philanthropic or pas- 
toral work among the poor and sick. 
But never in life until God says, sit 
down or lay down, never retire from 
some active enjoyment or duties. 
At last comes sleep, blessed gift of 
God. Ifthe eyes no longer see clearly, 
never mind; you may miss many pleas- 
ant sights, but more unpleasant sights 
others are still obliged to see. Do you 
no longer hear well, never mind; you 
escape being bored by a lot of dull and 
foolish and evil things. Is your strength 
failing, does your hand tremble, are your 
steps faltering, never mind; it is only 
the angels taking down the tent. You 
are moving into a better habitation with 
finer pictures, sweeter music, and more 
congenial associates. Give me your 
hand, let me give your staff to the chil- 
dren to play horse with, you will not need 
it where you are going. Congratula- 
tions on your home going,—until the 
eternal spring, the eternal day dawns, 
where we shall renew the activities of 
life in the perennial days of immortality. 
Emerson Shoes for Fall and Winter 
Wear at Bell’s. adv. 
AS YOU READ 
<< The Beast and the Jungle,”’ every 
drop of fighting blood in your make- 
up will tingle, Your indignation 
at the conditions exposed will be 
almost Jost in your admiration of 
Judge Lindsey’s game, single-handed 
fight and your realization that he is 
performing a magnificent public 
service. 
You’ll find the 
NOVEMBER EVERYBODY’S 
a very likable magazine. 
For Sale By 
L. W. FLOYD, 
F, W. VARNEY, 
Manchester 
Beverly Farms 
