Autumn

day with Mrs. Grumble. There, as she sat rocking up and down in the kitchen, the fall wind brought to her nose the odor of grapes ripening in the sun. The corn stoo

shoulders. She kept one eye on the oven where her biscuits were baking, counted stitches, and listened to Miss Beal,

new dress this year. Well, she's right, material is dreadful to get. As I said to her: Mrs. Stov

Grumble. "Here's an ol

. "Still," she added, speaking

ow," said Mrs.

the dressmaker. "Gra

things costing what they do, and every one so

s Beal slowly. "It's too awful. I

s," said Mrs. Grumble.

u can't trust a one o

good deal I want to see. I'd like

rs. Grumble, "

id the dressmaker, "c

a circus," decla

out, in and out, faster than ever, "would you, now? Well, t

along?" aske

said Mi

anyhow," said

le. "Well, I declare," she r

; "to hear you talk . . ." S

ill be there," said Mi

with Susie Ploughma

and Anna

aid Mrs.

er thing," she admitted. "I can't make head nor tail of it. Do

than I gave him credit for. Because how any one could have a

ss Beal, "first with Noel, when

full of them. Only the other day, down to the store, I heard her say to

of that," sa

n the other foot. What with the young folks growing up so wild,

the dressmaker, lifting from her lap a dress

lied Mrs. Grumble, with a shake of

think Anna Barly meant by saying 't

ur soul," said

htly know, Mrs. Grumble," she said, "but I came on her yesterday, and I declare if she hadn't been cr

" said Mr

to say there's anything as shouldn't

e I don't believe a word of it." But she felt it her

s Beal, "so Sara Barly says. Lord sa

who get it," said Mrs

in a myst

ders to

ove. "We'll have some tea," she said, "and I'll cook you

said Mi

e Milford stage. As the wagon set out, creaking and crowded, everyone began to ta

denrod and white and purple blooms in which the bees and wasps were still busy. There, above the crowd of men and women, the happy insects were bringing to a close their own bazaar, begun amid the showers of early spring. Here was the bee, with his milch-cow, the ant with her souvenir, and the mild cricket, amused like

ieve I have a right to this place, which, but for m

. Grumble had her fortune told. They rode on the carousel, all the while thinking: "This is really too silly." As Mrs. Grumble climbed down from

s, yellow and green, against the farther woods, the autumn sky, swept by its bright winds. All about them men

he arm, made her way toward the track, where she could see the horses going g

d sped away with a rush; the band

re Mr. Jeminy, close to the fence, was dancing up and down, wa

e," echoed

nd fault with Mr. Jeminy. "He's enjoying himself," she s

to her that she was right, and Mrs. Grumble was wrong. Without courage on her own account, she wa

rbidding expression. "I expect," she said, "tha

nd's tone, "maybe he is. And maybe there's others old enoug

ed Mrs. Grumble, "it'

don't like to repeat this to you, Mrs. Grumble, there's many think Mr. Jeminy is too old t

id Mrs.

a gesture at once triumphant and consoling. "Ne

ed in his hand a bit of lace for Mrs. Grumble. As he went down the road, beneath the turning leaves, and throug

d of al

liber

the sma

on eve

d of al

eth al

me no

me no

from these woods, where there is none left but the catbird, to creak upon the bough. Soon snow will cover the earth, in which nothing is growin

arly home he looked be

urning from the fair. H

shining in his eyes,

oung are ha