Autumnal Musings.

BY MRS. E. P. HOWARD.

I LOVE a bright October morn,
Its keenly bracing air,
When in the cloudless, azure sky,
The glorious sun is there:
When the frosty grass is crisping

Beneath the careless tread,

And the summer flowers have pass'd away,
All silently and dead.

There seemeth yet a secret charm
In Autumn's saddening hours-
The leaves are falling mournfully:
Fit requiem for the flowers.
The grape-vine lowly drooping,
Its day of beauty o'er;

And wither'd is the bitter-sweet

That climbs my latticed door.

The green-house beauties proudly stand,
Tho' desolate the plains,

And the moisture on the window glass
Is trickling down the panes ;
Yet the voice of love is sounding
In Autumn's hollow moan;
For we know our Father governs all,
And careth for his own.

A solitary robin sits

Upon a leafless tree,

And swelleth forth its plaintive song

In sweetest minstrelsy:

And the little snow-bird chirping

In soft prophetic strain—

All chant the summer's parting song, And tell of winter's reign.

Oh, grant me, Father, evermore
To worship Thee alone;

To spend the life that Thou hast given,
A suppliant at Thy throne:
And when from earth departing,
Tho' few my days and brief,
I may lie down as peacefully
As falls the forest leaf.

"It is a weary, weary way over the sea, a weary, weary way!" said my little cousin Effie to me, as we sat beneath our favorite tree, just in sight of the great ocean rolling in its immensity before us, farther than our eyes could reach. We had been upon one of our frequent rambles in the woods, and we seated ourselves awhile to rest and chat as was our wont often and often, until the moon's silvery light warned us to hasten home. We sat that evening in the beautiful summer light, our straw hats thrown beside us upon the turf; Effie's pet dog, Darling, was gazing wistfully at me as I sat plucking

"an early bud apart,

To learn the dainty color of its heart."

Yes, yes, Effie, it seems a weary way to you, no doubt," said I, "but to me it seems so grand-the great ship-the rough sailors-the rolling waves-and when a gale comes-whew! Effie, won't I be the little reefer to climb to the topmast, and reef the sails? But don't cry, Effie; don't cry for me; why, I shall like it, child, above all things don't cry."

;

"But, Freddy, you will be so far off; just think of that the great waves between us, Fred-and I-I-oh, dear!" and she dropped her pretty head upon my knee, and wept aloud. I remember that I felt very manly raised that gentle head and bade her not cry any more; and really felt quite "grown up," as I wiped away her tears with my pocket handkerchief of stripes and stars; and told her she would still have grandmother and her dog, Darling, and most of all, her flowers which she loved so dearly. "Oh, I shall be so glad when uncle George will be ready for me! for, Effie, you know we are going to China, and I shall see so many beautiful things-such a pretty fan as you shall have, and a bird of Paradise, and some Chinese puzzles, too."

"Oh, no matter about these, Freddy; I would rather have you remain with me than to have the whole of China, and everything in it, emperor and all. But when think uncle George will send for you? I hope not for two years, at least.”

do you

"Two years! two fiddle-sticks, Effie," I said; "why, you simple child, before two years are up, I shall wear buttons, I hope, the navy buttons on my coat. Two years, Effie! it may be two weeks, but it cannot be two

months if I have to wait much longer, I shall be quite in despair. You remember that uncle George wished me to be ready upon a short notice; but then you know that I shall not have much getting ready to do, as uncle said he would purchase all I wanted in Norfolk. I suppose I shall be absent some time-perhaps more than two years. It is a long cruise; you know uncle only takes me this voyage to have me become a little acquainted with things, and see how I like salt water, and

all that—I shall have my warrant when I come back, and you will see cousin Fred with a gilt band on his cap, and the anchor and stars sparkling on his jacket. But don't worry about me, Effie; I shall be safe enough, even if you don't hear a word from me in a year-that will be nothing-you must look after grandmother and Darling --and don't lose your love for flowers, they are such company for you."

Dear little Effie! I knew not what a woman's heart was beating in that young bosom. Smiling amid her tears, she tried to encourage me, and let me think that she should be contented: she did not speak of herself, but winding her arms about my neck, and placing her soft cheek against my own, she tried to seem cheerful. She did not speak of her lonely, friendless future-the long days and years which seemed so dark to her in their dim silence, her heart gladdened only by the poor satisfaction she might enjoy in trying to do her duty to those who so little understood her gentle nature—her flowers-her dog-these were her only pastime. I had been her joy and companion; we had been all in all to each other, and the thought of losing me seemed like losing half her life-but so it must be.

Effie and I were both orphans. My father, who had gallantly served his country in his youth, died upon the battlefield; my mother's heart was broken by the loss, and soon she was laid in her quiet grave: and when but three years old, my kind old grandmother took me to her home. I had been an inmate in her family but two years, when she received the tidings that her daughter Effie had died in Italy, leaving behind her the little Effie, whom she commended to her mother's care. My uncle Grey was