Wilmington daily gazette., 1872-05-01
THF STORY OF AN OLD OAK-TREE.

One day as l was walking near an oak tree
heard very peculiar sound which seemed to
come from the tree, but thinking it was the
wind did not pav much attention to il, when
a,most Immediately it was repeated, though
much louder than at first. | soon found ii was
the oak tree telling the history of her life to the
little acOrns -
AS nearedDe De tree she made polite bow,
and begged permission to listen also; and this |
is her history, as she herself told it:
.'Once upon time" said the tree, when | /
was little acorn like the most OF you,my moth
or use,l to caution her children about the cold |
November winds which she said would surely
come. and we must always be on the lookout for
them and we always have our caps fasten-
ed on very tightly for if they were not the wind
would take them oft and carry them far away
from us, and we never would get them again.
"But | did not pay much attention to what
nv mother said, and had to suffer the conse-
ouences, as YOU will see" Here the oak gave a
deep sigh. "One night,t was not very cold wher
we went to sleep. and dad not fasen my cap
on yery tightly, a. my mother had hidden me
do or. a NV brothers and sisters did, but fast
ened it inst little on the top.
ain the night the wind arose and was car
red to the ground. My cap blew off the first
thing, leaving my head very cold. Then how
wished had obeyed my mother; but it was too
late to repent.
81 was not long ia falling, hut long enough to
be afraid / would fall into ditch that was near
by But fell in a very safe place
at was so cold and dark that l was veIy
much afraid | felt around some to see il
could not find cap that belonged to some 9th
er unlucky acorn like myself, but there were
none or did not find auy if there were.
"Eor long time lay on the ground think
ing of the pleasant days | had passed that
summer. and all had heard and seen of the
+ world.
''One thing | used to think ofmost was a par
ty that was held under the tree that summer,
when each OF the little girls made wish. One
said she wished We all gold dollars; she
would feed all the hungry little children in the
world. Another said she wished We were candy;
she wound have all she wanted to eat and give
away The third said she wished we were lit
tie dolls; we would took so funny jumping up
and down every time the wind blew. This 1
thought very funny, and used to laugh every
time | thought of it; but to night | did
not feel like laughing so lay very still think.
ing of it.
Pretty soon | felt something fall on my face
1t must be a cap, thought, that my kind moth
er had dropped thinking i, would fall on some
of her chlldren's uncovered heads. soon found
il was nothing bui leaf
II was very sorry for while that it fell, for
was SO disappointed. But very soon another
little leaf fell, then another, until | was all GOV
cred up warm, like the babes in the wood
81 did not know at the time how long ! lay
there, but one day felt something heavy fall OF
my face which proved TO be snow. 1t did no
go away for a long, long time, how loni
did not know, for forgot myself and went tt
sleep.
81 was awakened in March by one leaf blow
ing of, so a ray of sunshine fell across my face
! was very much checred by this and thought
would try and be something.
"While was thinking Of this, and laying ny
my plans lor the future, ] was nearly crushed
by something heavy falling. upon me. though
it was not snow for it was too heavy, and no
cold enough either. But found 10 my dlsma,
that while the farmers were plowing had beer
plowed under.
"Ths was very discouraging, but when thu
farmers came back they took the dirt ava,
again, and was once more free.
"The next misfortune that befell me was
log that fell ON me- 50 was again covered up
lay there for long time, always hoping tn
log would be lifted away.
"One day when was feeling very sadly an,
almost ready to die, little boy seated himsel
on the log and began repeating the piece he WA
to speak in school. 1t ran
Little by little an acorn sad.
As it slowly sank iii its messy bed.
l am improving every day.
Hidden deep in the earth away.
This was very comforting, and | began L
think l could be somebody. But l did nc
know how to begin. The boy went on
Downward it sent Il thread-like root.
Up in the air sprang tiny shoot;
bay after day, and year after year,
Little by little the leaves appear;
And the slender branches spread far and wide
Till the mighty oak is the forests pride
Here clapped my hands, for was over
joyed did not even notice it was taken ava
so busy was thinking of the boys piece.
III began that nigh, to follow tho example
the other acorn, and succeeded, and grew yer
fast
"The wind tried to blow me over but did nj
succeed, aud the woodn,au threatened To cut n
down, but a little girl pleaded for me and wa
again spared"
Here the oak paused. "Go on" said an in
patient little acorn
II have 6alshed," replied the oak, "but
want to warn you, my children, to obey me a
ways, and you will get along much better"
y stood there some lime after the oak had b
ished speaking. thinking she wonld say som
thing else, but as she did not l walked away.
That night the wind blew very hard, and
the morning went again TO the tree 10 see if al
Of the acorns had fallen and lost their caps
fonnd several and planted them, that they mig
not have 90 many trials and adventures as the
mother Oak.4H. ELLA BRANCH, IN Or
SCH0oLDAY VISITOR. IA