Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-09-19
NO. 222.
MISCELLANEOUS READING.
WORD PAINTING BY HUGH MILE

WORD PAINTING BY HUGH MILLER.
But let US trace the history of n single
pine tree of the Oolite. as indicated hy H.
petriticd remains. This gnarled and twisted
trunk once anchored its roots amid the cram
MES Of u precipice Of dark-gray sandstone.
that rose over some nameless stream ul tho
Oolte in what is now the north Of scot
lani. The rock. which, Notwithstanding IL
dingy color. was deposite Of the lower old
red sandstone, formed member Of the fish
beds of that system, beds that were charged
then, as now, with numerous fossils. a,
strange and obsolete in the creation Of th"
o"lite as in the creation which at present
exists.
1t was firm, indestructible stone covered
by thin, barren soil; and the twisted root
lets of the pine rejected and thrown backwart,
from its more solid planes, had 10 penetrate.
into its narrow assures for straitrncd ami
meagre subsistence The tree grew but
slowly; in considerably more than half Il
century it had attained to a diameter Of little
more than ten inches or foot over the soil
and its bent and twisted form gave evidence
of the life Of hardship to which II was ~
posed. 1t was in truth, picturesque raS
of tree. that for the first few feet twisted
itself round like an overborne wrestler struS
Cling to escape from under his enemy, ami
then struck out an abrupt angle, and
stretched itself like bent arm over the
stream.
"The seasons passed over it: every open
ing Spring gave its fringe Of tenderer green
to its spky foliage, and every returning
Autumn saw it she6 its cones into the stream
below. Many delicate fern sprang NJ
and deGayed around its gnarled and tan
tastc root, single leayed and Of simple fern,
like the Scolopendria of our cavcrns and rock
recesses or fretted into many slim pinnatc
leahet, like the minute maiden hair, or the
graceful lady fern. Flying reptiles bavr
perched amid its boughs; the light-wingei
dragon-hy has darted on wings Of gauzr
through the openings Of its lesser twigs the
tortoise and the lizard have hyhernated dur
ing the chill of Winter among the hollows ot
its roots; for many years it formed one nt the
minor features in wild picturesque scen"
on which human eye never looked; and at
length, touched by decay, its upper branchr,
began to wilher and bleach white in tho
winds Of heaven; when shaken by sudden
hurricane that came roaring down the rayin",
the mass of rock in which it had been anch.
ored at once gave way, and, bearing fast
jammed among its roots q fragment OF the
mass, which We still find there, and FROM
which we read . portion of its story, it wa
precipitated into the foaming torrent. Dane.
ing on the eddies or lingering amid the pools,
or shooting. arrow-like, adown the rapids, It
at length finds its way to the sea; and after
sailing over beds of massive coral-the pom
derous Bastred and more delicate 7hdmntS,
trea and after disturbing the Enalioeanf
and Belemnite in their deep.green haunts, i
sinks, saturated with water, intoa bed Of
arenaceous mud, to make its appearance.
after long ages, in the world Of man a mar
BILE mummy Of the old Oolite tcrests-an Z"
be curiously interrogated regarding its char
acter and history"