t be taken out of t in to be fed. All t-colored leaves became dull brown whe cold fall rains began.

    trees. But Pa  rained, and o play ter supper.

    topped. t. t and a little fire burned all day in tove to keep ter  far away.

    ttic and tarted to make patcs. Everyto be snug and cosy again.

    One nig after supper o c in ttle  noing again.

    Pa rees near by in o c. A deer-lick  salt. y place in to lick it, and t he ground.

    After supper Pa took  into t to sleep  any stories or music.

    As soon as to t trees. Pa  to get a deer and come  one. Laura and Mary did not knoo think.

    All day Pa tle rao keep out t nig tiger.

    After supper Pa took Laura on  close in tle chair. And Pa said:

    quot;Noell you o eat today.

    quot; out to to a big oak tree. I found a place on a brancable and could co s any animal t came to it, and my gun was loaded and ready on my knee.

    quot;t and ed for to rise and ligtle tired from cerday, and I must ;t rising. I could see it betrees, lo against it I saanding. ening. , brancood out above his head.

    the moon.

    quot;It  s. But iful, rong and free and  I couldnt kill  t il o the dark woods.

    quot;t, Ma and my little girls ing for me to bring  next time I would s.

    quot;After ao t at from feasting on berries and roots and grubs all summer t , until o a rotten log. , and listened. t apart and sniffed among ting up t we grubs.

    quot;tood up on ly still, looking all around o be suspicious t sometrying to see or smell  was.

    quot; mark to s at, but I ed in c, t I forgot all about my gun. I did not even ting il o the woods.

    quot; t. Ill never get any meat t;I settled myself in tree and ed again. time I ermined to s t game I saw.

    quot;t le open place. All around it trees.

    quot;After a long ily out of t afraid at all. to t, and ttle of it.

    quot;t eacepped over and stood beside tood toget t. t.

    I just sat t til t of tree and came home.”

    Laura  s them! “

    Mary said, quot;e can eat bread and butter.”

    Pa lifted Mary up out of ogether.

    quot;Youre my good girls,quot; ;And nos bedtime. Run along, w my fiddle.”

    ucked snugly under trundle beds covers, Pa ting in t  t need its ligly in ting needles flas above tting.

    ter evenings of firelight and music had come again. Pas fiddle walled while Pa was singing:

    O you cry for me, Im going to Cal-i-for-ni-a, t for to see.”

    to play again t Old Grimes. But  sing t. Pas strong, s voice ly singing:

    quot;Sance be forgot, And never brougo mind? Sance be forgot, And tance be forgot, And the days of auld lang syne?”

    opped singing Laura called out softly, quot; are days of auld lang syne, Pa?”

    quot;time ago, Laura,quot; Pa said. quot;Go to sleep, now.

    But Laura lay atle o Pas fiddle softly playing and to t Pa sitting on t gleaming on ening on t Ma, gently rocking and knitting.

    S to ;this is now.”

    S t and t be forgotten, s, because no can never be a long time ago.