Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-04-09
for Che Daily 1n.sIIIEspeer.l
4 n a III. T. @ o r Y

d stately tree SLOOu ON Tue plAllI At It's OaSe I
ran bubbling brook, and from its root sprang |
a wild violet The tree rejOiced that its trunk |
wAs majestic, and that its branches were ma
ny; yet it listened with pleasure to the muir
muring of the brook, and cherished the wild vi
Olet with fostering care, until simple maiden
with her amOrous swain, sought this sequester-
ed spot, to hold sweet converse, and to pledge
their mutual VOWS. When the youth Plucked tho
little violet as an offering to his fair, and heed
lessly crushed with his foot the plant from
which it grew, the tree was grieved, and fain
would have whispered to the maiden: "thus shall
he pluck thy young hearts affection, and crush
out the fond hope Of the parent stem that nour-
ished theei"
The lovers often resorted hither. But Mt
length, the maiden came alone, and the sympa
thetic tree knew that she was forsaken; but he
bent over her his shadowy boughs, and famed
her burning brow with the cooling breeze which
stirred his branches. But the deSOate heart
refused to be comforted, and thereafter,
the tree bowed with sorrow, for he heard the
tolling Of the village church bell and knew that
the stricken one at rest. Spring came, and
with ii troops Of felthered songsters who sought
this favored tree, as temple wherein to chaunt
| their matin and vesper hymns, and to worship
! the God who taketh account of the small sparrow
The tree revived in spirit, and said, Surely
am not made wholly in vain. For besides the
habitation that am enabled to afford these inno-
cent tribes ofinferior beings have not refresh
ed and glad denedthe soul Of the fainting wayfar-
/ er us he reposed awhile under my outrageous
shadow, and drank of the brook in the way,
and with renewed strength betoOk him to his
| tOilsomc journey. Yet once by night, there
came one who fed from the pursuit Of injured
Justice and outraged law, and dared to claim
protection Of the friendly treel But although
the tree shrunk from his polluting touch, yet he
said will shelter him for night 1t may DO
I he will think upon his ways aud repent of his
evil behavior. That night, as he sat in safety,
he called to mind his past sins, and as lie thought
thereon, he wept, and for the first time in his
erring life he addressed penitential prayer TO
| an offended God for his former tranSgreSSions,
and heart felt thanksgiving for his present
safety. And when it was morning, the tree
bade him in the name Of his master, depart in
peace and sin no more.
Ouce again, there came from out the wilder
ness a wanderer, weary and foOt-sore, vending
his way stealthily across the plain. He Rp-
preached tmidly, for in his perilous journey he
had been often Iepulsed from the hospitalites of
men, and denied that hospitality that even a
brute might claim. But the poor fugitive found
here n good Samaritan, who kindly bent his
strong boughs, thereby assisting him to mount
upwards to a place of safety and concealment
Saying TO the forlorn one, Choose, thee, the
place which thou likest best, and will fold my
leaves about thee, and rock thee gently to rest.
Man has refused thee shelter! But fear and
obey that God who placed me here, small
acorn ut nTSti tuen tender SilruO mat inc lOOl
might easily have crushed and ObliteTated from
the earth. And when became n goOdly tree
hath He not Withheld the woodlands axe that it
hurt me notf Aud have not seen the wild hur-
ricane sweep through the neighboring forest,
lruthlesSly up-roOting the very princes OF the
woodland? and hath not the storm king mem
aced me oft and the believing thunder mutter-
ed dark words of terror above my head, while
the forked lightniBgs played through my
trembling branches? Yet have hitherto es-
capped unScathed. God hath been my helper.
l will rejoice and be glad when he perInitteth
me TO show mercy to the poor, and to help such
as have none to help them
Years have passed, and the tree is old, and
has witnessed much, and is almost weary with
the changes of Earth. The ghileless maiden
and her false lover have met in the presence Of
Him who alike nbhors to punish the innocent or
to let the guilty go free. The birds which once
made music in his branches have folded their
wings and have forgotten in endless sleep every
note of melody. The traveller who rcposed for
little time under his cooling shade and drank
of the brook, has long since passed the river of
death. The felOn who shielded himself from
the demands of justice has strange TO say)
been admitted within the gates of Paradise to
Join him who once persisted on the cross beside
reached that country where they hear not the
voice Of the oppr.ssor, and where the servant
is free from his master. But the tree still re-
MAINS yet he well knows that one day he too
will be called to yield up his being; that his
strong roots will be torn from their deep foun-
dations in the earth; that his giant trunk will
be laid low in the dust, and his many branches
be gathered But the tree fears not-fOr he
saith, II have accomplished my mission; have
fulfilled my destiny 1 have done what could"
Gentle reader, eanst thou say this much of thy
self