Leaves
The flowers were all gone. Even the late asters had been
frost-nipped, amd were now only wilted stalks. Down in the
garden corner the whole flower family had gone to sleep under
the ground till spring, and the maple trees were covering
them warm with leaves as fast as they could.
So the children went to the woods one day to see what the
trees had for them. Such heaps of leaves, all gold and red,
and under them such lots of butternuts and chestnuts. Bert
took a stick and banged the ends of low branches, knocking
off a few nuts. But the wind had done it all for them, and
they only had to scrape under the leaves to find plenty for
the little baskets.
It was cold in the woods, and oh, how sweet the ferns and
leaves smelled! Little Bess loved to kick the bright leaves
up in clouds around her, dancing with the showers of gold,
red,and green. Then, when the baskets were all full, the
children played steam-cars, whirling along in a line,
scuffing and tossing the leaves all about them.
It was a real glorious time, and it was the very last frolic
(with anything like plants) that they had that year, for the
next day and the next it snowed hard, and covered up all the
leaves and ground. It lay like a soft white fur coverlet
on the corner bed in the old garden, while underneath the
flowers dreamed of spring.
On the crab-apple tree in the garden
five little apples clung to their branch,
cold, and frost-bitten, afraid to fall to
the ground, as the rest had done. The children
had gathered and eaten the others; but though the branch
shook and the leaves scolded, and the wind said, "Oh, let
go the branch, you foolish ones! It will be alright when
you fall." Still, those timid apples trembled and clung
tightly to the tree. The gardener broke the whole branch
off and took them into the house for the children. The
little apples felt that they were very grand then. But,
wait. They were divided, one for Company, one for Bert,
one for Little Girl, one for Bess, and one for doll Rosa.
"Ugh!" said Little Girl, as she bit into hers; "it's
perfectly horrid, and Doll Rosa should not be allowed to
eat such stuff!"
"Bah!" said Bert; "how bitter and soft!"
The Company Girl did not taste her apple, and Bess
made a face over hers. Then they threw them all
into the fire.
The foolish little crab apples had stayed
out in the cold so long that they were quite
spoiled, and even a doll would not eat them.
E. S. Tucker from the book
Buds and Blossoms, circa 1890
The midi is playing Colors by Bruce De Boer
from his Earth Tones Collection.
