The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-07-07
,MY APPLE TREE.


Out by my door the apple tree,
With wholesome hospitality, -
Stretches abroad its friendly hands
To welcome all the airy bands
It's knotted branches. worn and gray,
SHOW SOME bright burden every day.
In wfurer-ffme the wOodpecker
Makes IN those bonghs his tiny stir,
The iittle tap OF busy bill
The signal or his work and skill:
Vita sober coat and spark OF red
SresiinE his smooth, oose eluious head.
He seems in yer haste 10 be
Inspecting thar old apple tree
There the neat suow-bird in the sun
Sits when his frugal meal Is done:
For him mShose pale and scanty rays
Have the kind charm OF summer days
HIS sfaty coat and snowy breast,
Like some old Friend for meeting dressed;
HIS HIS ssSS ssRsSs eve ss e seSTi mss S,sc:
His bold familiar, close advance,
With sidewise head and siielong glance,
Delight mine eye when cold winds blow.
love hin, bat he brings the snow.
Here when the spring begins to call
The SPARROW sings his madrigal:
Through sleet and hail, in shine or rain,
hear him DER and Ger again:
ResinoI silioi siliot silt
He warbies with such cheery WILL
i bless the sweet persistent song,
And wish my courage were as strong.
On him the blne-bird follows fast,
His whistle. too, defies the blast,
His bosom red and mantle blue
With the first South Wind breath are due;
Hebrings the blossoms hope and cheer,
As deep in. chest his song they hear.
Then ne fat robin bends the bonghs
Prospeeting fer his summer house;
so red aud round, he seems to be
Himself an apFie on the tree:
With platnfive song he prophesies
A1n when the sun returns once more
He-sings yet louder than before,
struts on the fence. chirps sharp and loud,
BY no Insulting rival cowed,
With dauptiess heart and ready wing,
Prepared alike to night or sing.
Then come the softer days and airs:
Astender, flowers OF pink and pearl
Those sturdy crimson buds uuturl,
TIA an the iree more lovely shows, a
Than tropfc forests high in air.
Or almond blooms on branches bare
Then tiny warblers Tit and sing
With golden spots on crest and wing,
or, fecked with scarlet epauIette.
Beucafh each dtIsky wingiet set,
They hunt the blossoms for their prey
And pipe thcfr fairy round clay.
TIE Tue crimson finchs with whirr and trill,
Paintedifke sunsets. red and chill,
Perehed in q knot or blossoms pale,
Mods his quick head and tiirts bis tail,
And 6llls MS sobcrSsnited spouse
10 dinner IN the fragrant noughs.
Bef0ro him tlIhcs snail disappear
INT three ssep p;ss s s,sss q tSe s6e gssr rss
To bhiiI1ss ssrr1 and secret nest
Ehe Foldfiheh soeia chipper bright
Takes ~ those Ou1Cnot MS ucIAents
"A troop ile tying sunbeams pass
And i1liI anona fhe vivid grass
or on ft<pendlof some long branch.
I.Irff 4crpbars, IN ait they launch.
Adm the wild wind sway and swing.
Infedt to feit TOR, Eiance ana slng'
fo1rs out the Passidn. Of his soul
XNinred Idaris that darts and burns.
Darriinr where,er his bright wing turns
Yer 1erce 20 scold and quick 70 night,
B5ftle WITH peers his chief delight
And many song OF victory
Rut summer Drfses-these branches peace:
Tne eong and strife OF spring-time cease.
Their homes arc built each feathered
dsbnsied with its little nest. :.
carales OF praise, secure Of food, .it5
Ihar keep the Fathers promise good
And ureach their tender homily
Of.hope and love and trust, to me-
Then comes the ripening autumn-time,
Tha rounds my troe abundant prime
Is Douzhs are bent with fragrant fruit.
Elushed with the sun that warns It's root,
And yellow. as the starry light
KoH comes another noisy troop
On every dropping sphere TO sWoop,
With ragged coats, and saucy eye,
And tangled hair. they wander oy,
Waiting for some kind moment when
Thewind win swing the gate again.
And leare their feet an entrance free
To gather apples from my tree
do not love them like the birds,
These graceless. .chattering, idle herds;
Yet shall the birds my bounty share
And these small urctins find il spare7
Has Heaven no lesson taught 10 me
by this my generous apple treel
-Ross Terry Cooke, In N. 7. independent