The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-09-03
Too old rosPIant Trees.

letters to the rufilo Courier, dated Sarato
ga Springs. 1t conveys just reproof t.
those who are too indolent, or think them
t selves too old to plant trees:
"This morning little dialogue, which
chanced to overhear, amused me with traiI
of thought an hour long.
; 1t was later than usual when started, ant
| found myself returning in the hottest par
of the day. After walking some distance
beneath the shade of come friendly trees,
came suddenly upon o very sunny block
looked up, and beheld On elegant hous,
r with fine garden, that told of tasteful ant
wealthy proprietor. Just as was wonder
, ing why the good sense which had evidently
: superintended the whole establishment
could not have been extended to relieve thi
glare of sunlight, the voice of little chilli
playing in the court yard clothed my thought
) in words.
81 don't want to come in," said he.
"But it is too sunny for you out there, my
| little fellow; so be good boy. and come
in"
"Oh, DEAR" sighed the boy, "I wish we
Hired across the way, where the sun dom,
shine, Or even behind those big trees on the
corner. How came they there though, grand.
pa, and why can't ace have big trees, too!"
The answer was not audible. But pres
emily the boys shrill voice was heard again.
"But why can't you plant trees in front OF
your house, just like those he planted"
1 Whereupon an old man Of hoary head and
infrm step appeared on the threshold, and |
heard the words: "too old, my son; when
grandpa came here to live, he was too old to
plant trees. 1t takes great while to grow
trees, and, by the time they grew large
enough to shade him, grand pa would be dead
and gone"
Too old 10 plant trees! What selfish old
age that man must live Afraid to plant
trees, lest another should enjoy the shade of
them l. Surely the experience of ifetlme
might have taught him this great law of life,
mat one man labors and another enters into
his labors.
''Brds fer others build The downy nest;
Sheep for others bear the feecy vest;
Bees collect for others honeyed food;
Ploughs the patient for others good,''
And men cannot be an exception to the
general rule; for we are all created to be
dependent OH each other, and everybody has
some other body's happiness in their keep.
ing, and will be answerabIe for it when the
great Judge shnll ask: "Where is thy broth
er?' l.
No man is 100 old to make or mar the
comfort of those whose lot happens to have
fal.en within his sphere. And this rule is
so much primary law of nature, that our
Influence on one another lives after we are
dead, in the deeds we have done or left un,
done. And no man should be satisfied to
die, and leave the world neither the bright
er, the better, nor the happier, because he
has lived in it.
One generation must plant the tree, that
another may eat the fruit of it.
The "bread cast upon the waters" was
n t to be returned until "after many days"
Suppose Columbus had given up his pro.
jects of discovery. lest others should settle
in country for which they did not have the
trouble of seeking!
Suppose those old men, vur Pilgrim Fa-
thers, had said: eve are old, we have not
long to live; we will make ourselves com
Portable, and let the next generation estab-
lish religious toleration for themoelves!"
Where would have been our Republic, if
General Washington had said: ."The tree
of Liberty will take 80 long to grow, that it
is hardly worth myewhile to plant it!''
Where would have been all our libraries,
ifthe poets had said: can authors life is on
ly weariness, and fame cannct reach him in
the grave!" .u...
Where would civilization have stopped,
if the great inventors to whom we owe the
incalculable benefits OF steam, electricity and
mechanism had said: "People cling to old
customs; the world is given to its idols, let
it aIone!" Watt worked not for day, but
all time. The proud boats which have join
ed the Atlantic with the Pacific, by naviga-
ting our long rivers and broad lakes, had
never existed, if Robert Fulton had stopped
to consider now long it would take to ripen
his plan of using steam power on water voy.
ages.
Suppose Whitney had kept to himself the
secret OF the cotton-gin, or Morse that Of
talking by lightning, because men laughed
at the possibility of accomplishing either!-
and: being public benefactors without public
gratitude is sorry work. 4t
These men all knew that God ordained
half the world to. toll, and sweat, and groan,
that the other half might thrive and re.
joice.
Hard Things to Do.
To convince mother that her baby 10