Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-08-18
Sound Of Trees.

that perhaps It yield a nut or fruit
and finally that, when it gives up 4
life to the inevitable axe, its prostrat
trunk shall furnish good timber. b
sides these uses OF bodily comfort an
ECONOMY, tree, like rich hearte
person, has a hundred nameless way
which we hardly stop to analyze, bu
winch, If they were suddenly take
away, we should miss.
The murmuring Of trees is profound
ly affecting TO a sensitive spirit. /
some moods of Imagination, one car
not holp feeling that trees have 10,
song, or conversation of leaves
They whisper, or speak, or cry on
and even roar. No one knows tbi
last quality so well as those who hav
been IN old oak forests in storm wit
violent wind A dense forest oppose
such a resistance to the free passag
Of the air, that the sound is mucl
deadcned. But in a park or oal
opening, where spaces are left for To,
motion Of the air, and among opeI
branched trees, storm moves will
such power and majesty, that no
even the battles Of thunder clouds ar,
more sublime, and under certain cir
cumstanccs it becomes terrific. A.
the beginning Of the tempest the tree.
sway and toss as if seeking to escape
as tho violence increases, the branche.
bounce back, the leaves, turning theil
whito undersides 20 the light, fairly
scream. The huge boughs creak and
strain like ship in storm. Now
and then some branches which have
grown across each other, arc drawn
back and forth, as If demons were
scrapine internal bass-viols. Occasion.
ally a branch breaks with a wild
crash, or some infrm tree, caught un.
awares in a hugo puff of the storm,
goes down with crashing as /. falls,
and with thunder stroke when il
reaches the ground. l would go fur
ther 10 hear storm concert in an old
forest, than any music that man ever
made. No one who is familiar with
forest sounds but is sure, when he
henrs Beethoven's music, that mnch
Of it was inspired by the sounds of
winds among trees.
There arc milder Joys, however, in
Tree converse. Only this morning |
awakened 10 hear it rain. That
steady plash of drops which q north
sast wind brings on is not easily mis-
aiken. | hatter myself that my ear
S too well trained 10 all the ordinary
'ounds Of natureto be easily deceived I
rise, and throw back the blinds. and
o! not a drop is falling 1t is the
wind in my maple trees. / had
hought of that aud listened with the
most discriminating attention, and
vas sure that it was rain
Twice in our lives we lived in houses
.uilt on the edge of the original forest.
These had been thinned out, and re-
esses opened up. Ithsppencd in both
ases that an ash and hickory had
'een left which shot up, without side
ranches, TO great height. The
runks were supple and tough. When
yer the wind moved gently, these
ong and 1.-the trees moved with sim
iular grace and beauty. As there
Tas no perceptible wind along the
round their movements seemed vol
ntary. And yet there was IN it that
ind Of irresolution which one sees in
leep walking. But as soon as the
reath became breeze, the wide cir
le throrgh which these rooted gym. |
asts moved was wonderful. They
cemed going forth in every direction
nd yet surely and quickly springing
ack to position again. Aud in every |
notion such was their elasticity, they |
lahitosted the utmost grace. The
Ching Of winds in pine forest has
o parallel sound except npon the sea
bore. of all sounds Of leaves it is
le sweetest and saddest, TO certain
foods OF summer leisure.
The pine sings, like the poet, with
o everyday voice, but in tone apart
ON all common sounds. 1t has the
over TO change the associations, and
quicken the poetic sensibhity us no
Lher singing tree can do. Every one
lould have this old harper, like a
'er or a priest among the trees about
IS dwelling. Undor an old pine
ould naturally be found the young
alden, whose new lover was far
ross the seas. In the sounds that
ould descend she could not fail 10
sar the voices Of the sea-the roar of
inds, the plash of waves running in
BON the shore A young mother.
hose first born had returned to God, ,
no gave it, would, at twilight, 10 to 1
e pines; for, to her ear, the whole ,
r must needs seem full Of spirit vol !
$. They would sing to her thoughts :
just such sad strains as soothe sor. I.
w. Nor would it be strange if, in ,
Q rise and fall OF these sylvan sylla. ,
cs, she could imagine she heard her !
Ibe again, calling TO her from the air, ,
Every country place should have I
at very coquette among trees, the I
pen. 1t seems never TO sleep. Its q
fingers are playing in the 1
at some arch fantasy almost with s
I pause. If you sit at a window /
th a book, il will wink and blink, q
ID beckon aud coax, I'LL you cannot {
Up speaking TO it That must be- a q
" day that does not see the aspen r
liver A single leaf sometimes will 4
gin to way, and not another on the d
hole tree will move Sometimes a
iden breath will catch at lower
auch, then shilling, will leave that
u, while it shakes topmost twig- Il
lough the air may move so gently ;
at your cheek does not feel il, this o
lsitive troe will seem all shiver, Z
d turn its leaves upward with shud. r
ring chill. II is the daintiest fairy v
all the treos. One should have an s
pen on every side Of his house, that \
window should be without chance
look upon its mods and becks, and
rejoice in its innocent witcheries. o
ave seen Just such fair spriles In "
man form. But one docs not get x
30 easily, if he sports too much n
n sh.o. m. -. l..4 .-..l.......-l f