Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-06-08
The weeping Willow.

You have seen and admired the weeping
willow tree-the Salix Babylonica-upor
which the captive Hebrews hung thell
harps when they sat down by the rivers oi
Babylon and "wep: when they remember
ed Zion" 1t is native of the Garden Of
Eden, and not OF America, and will tel
you how it immigrated 10 this country.
More than 100 years ago a merchant
lost his fortune. He went to Smyrna, 6
seaside city in Asia Minor, to recover 1t.
Alexander Pope, one of the great poets OF
England. was the merchants warm friend,
and sympathized with him in his mis-
fortunes.
Soon after the merchant arrived IN
Smyrna he sent to Pope. as present, q
box of dried figs. At that time the poet
had built beautiful villa at Twickenham,
on the bank of the River Thames, and
was adorning it with trees. shrubbery, and
Towering planta
On opening the box of figs Pope dis
covered in it q small twig of the tree. 1t
was stranger to him. As it came from
the East ne planted the twig in the ground
near the edge of the river, close by his
villa The spot accidentally chosen for
the planting was favorable to its growth,
for the twlg was from the weeping willow
tree-possibly from the bank OF one OF
"the rivers of Babylon which fourishes
best along the borders of water courses.
This little twig grew vigorously, and In
few years it became large tree, spread
ing wide its branches, snd dropping, grace
full sprays, and winning the inspiration OF
the poets friend as well as strangers. 1t
became the ancestor of all the weeping
willows in England.
There was a rebellion in the English
American colonies in 1775. British troops
were sent to Boston to put down the in
su-rectlon. Their leaders expected to end
it in a few weeks after their arrival.
Some young officers brought fishing tackle
with them to enable them to enjoy sport
after the brief war. Others came to settle
on the confiscated lands of the "rebels."
Among the latteriwss young officer on
the staff of Gen. Howe. He brought with
him, wrapped in oiled silk, q twlg. from
POpe's weeping-willow at Twickenham,
which he intended to plant on some stream
watering his American estate.
Washington commanded an army before
Boston which kept the British imprisoned
in that city a long time against their will.
On his staff was his stepson, John Parke
Gusts, who frequently went to the British
headquarters, under the protection of q
flag, with dispatches for Gen. Howe. He
became acquainted with the young officer
who had the willow twlg, and they became
friends.
Instead of "crushing the rebellion in siA
weeks" the British army at Boston, at the
end of an imprisonment Of nine months,
was glad to fly by sea, for life and liberty,
to Halifax. Long before that flight the
British subaltern, satisfied that he should
never have an estate in America to adorn,
gave his carefully preserved willow twig
to young Custis, whs planted it at Abing-
don. his estate in Virginia, where 1t grew
and hourished, and became the parent of
all the weeping willows in the United
States.
Sometime after the war, Gen. Horatio
Gates, of the Revolution. settled on the
" Rose Hill Farm" on New York Island,
and at the entrance to q lane which led
from a country road TO his house he planted
twig from the vigorous willow at Abing-
don, which he had brought with him.
That country road is now Third avenue,
and the lane is Twenty. second street.
Gates mansion, built of wood, and two
stories in hight, stood near the corner of
Twenty-seventh street and Second avenue,
where saw it consumed by IRE in 1915.
The tree which grew from the twig planted
at the entrance to Gates lane remained
until comparatively few years ago. 1t
stood on the northeast corner of Third
avenue and Twenty second street. 1t was
a direct descendant in the thIrd genera
ton, of Pope's willow, planted at Twick-
enham about lT22