Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-12-08
The Meaning MiIInM.

You have seen and admired the weep
ing willow tree-the Salix Babylonica-
upon which the captive Hebrews hung
their harps when they sat down by the
rivers of Babylon and "wept when they
Garden of Eden, and not of America,
and | viii tell you how it emigrated to
this country.
More than one hundred and fifty years
ago merchant lost his fortune. He
went to Smyrna, seaside city of Asia
Minor, to recover it. Alexander Pope,
one of the greatest poets of England,
was the merchants warmest friend, and
sympa'l lied with him In his misfor-
tunes.
Soon alJeg the merchant arrived in
Smyrna he sent to Pope, as a present, a
box of dried figs. At that time the poet
had built beautiful villa at Twicken-
ham, on the bank of the Thames, and
was adjoining it with trees, shrubbery
and towering plants.
On opening the box Of figs, Pope dis
covered in it a small twig of a tree. 1t
was a stranger to him. AS it came from
the east he planted the twig in the
ground near the river, close by his vile.
The spot accidentally chosen tor its
planting was favorable for its growth,
for the twig was from the weeping will
low tree-possibly from the bank of one
of the rivers of Babylon" which -four
ishes best along the borders of water
courses.
This little twig crew vigorously, and
in few years became large tree,
spreading wide its branches and droop-
ing, graceful sprays, and winning the
admiration of the poets friends as well
as strangers. 1t became the ancestor of
all the weeping willow trees in England.
There was rebellion in the English
American colonies in 1775 British
troops were sent to Boston to put down
the instruction. Their leaders expect
ed it to end in few weeks after their
arrival. Some young officers brought
fishing tackle with them, to enable them
to enjoy sport after their brief war.
Others came to settle on the confiscated
land of the rebels.
Among the latter was young office
on the staff of General Howe. He
brought with him, wrapped in oil-silll, a
twig from POpe's weeping willow tree at
Twickenham, which he intended to plant
on some stream watering his American
estate
Washington commanded an army be-
ssre Boston, which kept the British i'm
prts6444A = LAT city a long time against
their will. On - .--lA4f was his stepson,
John Parke Gusts, who frequently went
to the British Headquarters, under the
protection OF flag. with dispatches for
II IL 4
with the young officer who had the will
low twig, and they became friends.
Instead Of crushing the rebellion in
six weeks, the British army at Boston,
at the end of an Imprisonment of nine
months, were glad to fly by sea, for their
life and liberty, to Halifax. Long be-
fore that flight the British suhatern,
satisfied that he should never have an
estate in America to adorn, gave his
carefully preserved willow twig to young
Gusts, who planted il at Abingdon, his
estate i'll Virginia, where IL grew and
fiourished, and became parent TO All the
weeping willows in the United States.
Some time after the war General
Horatio Gates, Of the Revolution, settled
on the ''Rose uill Farm, on New York
Island, and at the entrance to the lane
which led from a country road to his
house he planted twis from the vjgor-
Gus willow of Abingdon, which he had
brought with him. hat country road
is now Third Avenue and the lane is
Twenty second street Gates mansion,
built of wood and two stories in height,
stood near the corner of rwenty-serenth
street and Second avenue, where [ saw
it consumed by fire in 1915. The tree
which grew from the sprig planted at
the entrance Of Gates lane remained till
comparatively q few years ago. 1t stood
on the northeast corner of Third avenue
and Twenty second street. 1t was 3
direct descendant, in the third genera
ton, Of Pope's willow, planted at rwick-
enham about 1772 Benson r. Tossing