Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-07-10
Thr Story Trllrr.
THE OLD TREES SECRET.

"Wc Will take the hOu>c->hall we no
Charlie ?' We had gone all Ovcrthc ro0my
old-faShioncd house. my little wife and |
from the dusty cobwchbcd garrct to the neg
lcctcd cellars, and We now stood together Il
the back Of the garden, critically surveying
its appearance.
1t was Il low tWo->tory house, built in tho
shape Of +, with Il cluster Of tall chimney:
in the middle and the three gables hiddcl
in ivy. 1t had once stood quite out Of the
town, which had since gradually crcpt to-
ward it, until what had been 4 road WAS
now become Il street OF stra|glng cottages
and villas, extending to the high wall in
closing the grounds. The lawn was shaded
with old trees, and the garden chokpd NJ
with thickctS OF lilac and SNOWFALL. Tho
old lady, Mrs. Gage, who had for forty year,
resided here, leading very secluded and
invalid life, had taken no pains to keep the
place in order, and She and the property had
dccaycd together, until recently she had
died, and the house WAS for sale.
"lt looks drcadfully gloomy and neglect
rd.' said Cccic, gazing up ut the back win
duw>. Mrs. Moss, next door, says that for
twenty Years no one has occupied those up
per rooms land see how the ivy has bound
together those shutters on the left. But it
is a beautiful old house, and | know that
we can make it bright and cheerful. And
then the gardcn-What Il delight it will be
to the children and 10 ourselves, too. We
will take it, won't we, Charlie :'
There was no resisting pleading, COAX
in~ manner. SO that very evening | went
to sec the agent. and before the week had
elapsed the house was ours.
With what zeal and enjoyment we enter
ct upon the transformation Of our new
abode. The masses OF ivy were torn down
from the gables or udici"u>ly trimmed {;
every door and window WAS thrown wide
to the fresh air and sunlight and paint and
paper, muslin curtains. and bright carpets
and India mating made the house delight
full to behold.
This much accomplished, we turned our
attention to the garden. 1t Wa> already
June, and the season too advanced for much
Improvement but we pulled down the
rottcd arbor>. thinnrd out the thickctS of
roses and lilac> and caused Il little round
table and some rustic garden seats TO be
placed under iii old tree ut the further end
of the central walk. Here, on returning
from my office on the warm, sunny cvrn-
inyS, we would ~it-Crcic engaged with
some light stitching, and with cigar, books
and papers. reading to her. while our little
ones ran up and down the garden walks.
"Thi> j. thoroughly delightful" remark
cd, one evening. "IIow is If. ircic, that we
Keeping life without 4 garden :''
"Ic>," she answered rAdantiy, lit is de-
lighti'ul. Living - much in the open air
one seems to takca new and fresh growth.
like the flowers. Only--aMd here She mllnr-
ed unra>ily aromd-"unly. Charlie. |
Think tlmcy--that this i not exactly the
spot for our al tr'>co boudoir.''
"Why not" 1t faces the walk, it COM
mand~ Il view Of the house and the whole
garden. And these branches hanging 50
low and clothed in ivy. make Il nice canopy
above Us. What i il that YOU object t":'
Il scarcely know but somehow | have
ncvrrlkrd this tree"
1t WAS Il very old tree under which We
sat with Il huge ynarlcd trunk CROWN" in
Il Sloping po>iti"n near the garden wall. and
covered with ivy. About eight feet from
the ground tn" trunk separated INTO three
branches. and here tn" ivy had matted
itself in an impcrviOuS mass, conccaling
the lr,Nycd branches with the exception of
the cXtrcmitic~, which here and there pro-
trudrd from til" green mass, white and bare.
"Thry look like skeleton figures said Co.
Gle, gianring up ;md it gives me tn" h"r
ror-. think the tree OUGHT to Il" cut down.
1t always reminds III" of Il graveyard or Il
haunted hOu>r.'
did not at the tim" pay much attention
to her remarks. But some days after she
again suggested that our garden table and
chairs should hc removed to some other
spot.
Il do not know why it i~." she said.
unca-ily, "but always feel nervous here.
fancy there i something peculiar about the
}acr--in tn" ru>tling Of the ivy and in the
very atmosphere: | often find myself start
inc and looking around with 4 vague >rll~r
of something horrible. hate the sight Of
t hat tree, with il distorted shape and bare
~k"lcton arms.
rallied her upon being ianciul, but
promised that the ''>l''ltuM arms OF which
She complained should be- cut of. She ~;,t
silent for a r"ncnt, then said. seriously:
''tharic. did it ever ur,Nlr to You that rcr-
tain objects i'm natUrc-trr'~, for Instance
NAV have an individual life Of their own :
| don't mean the mere vegetable life, bat Il
sort OF mysterious spiritual! existence. Now
| can't help iln"yim~ that this tr"" j. con-
-,.iul~ of what i going un beneath it-that
it remembers things which it has witnessed
i'm it, lung life. and. were ii able, could tell
IL some horrihl" CHASTITY story of tn" past.
You may laugh. but | ,'>~llr" YOU that |
never ~it under this tree, even on Il sunny
without irrlim" Il chill creeping
over me. ;lMd Il seas" ut something mystic
riuu- and horrible. which makes me almost
itrHid.'
"Of cullr-r." ~;,id shaving once imH"im-
ii that the dead branches resemble '~krlr-
ou arms and a~~uratrl them in your
,vn mind with the idea of Il grave yard,
,uu will be- haunted with all sorts nf dis
nal Thought and i;unci"- in connection with