The Bossier banner., 1884-06-19
A TUSSLE WITH A TREE.

A TUSSLE WITH A TREE.
imagined it would take me about
half an hour to put up some boxes for
the accommodation of the blue birds
amid the branches of the magnificent
oak which stands in the rear of my
house.
This oak is the pride of my estate
It's erect, lofty, symmetrical, now in
its fullest vigor-a temple not built
with hands-more marvellous in con-
struction than any palace ever erected,
and, in my brother mans estimation,
good chiefly for frewood or railroad
ties.
In the endeavor to place the bird
houses on it find that perversity dwells
among its branches. Or perhaps its
desire is not to be meddled with in any
way--a feature OF strong character
and marked individuality, whether in
men, women or oaks.
WANTED to put the boxes on the oak
about twenty feet from the ground. l
erected ladder against the tree. The
tree refused to allow the ladder to rest
solidly against its massive trunk.
Whichever way | directed that ladder
it fell against small but stout branches
stout as steel springs. These fought
the ladder and warded it of against
too near approach.
Itried to insinuate the ladder between
these grabbed, obstinate little branches.
They resisted intelligently all such tao
tics. Where the ladders end edged in
a little on one side, cats CLAW of a
branch managed to catch it on the
other Meantime /, myself, the human,
moving machine at the ladders foot,
was expending muchforce in these vain
efforts. For it was an old and very
heavy ladder-a house painter ladder.
| saw that must cut these branches
of. | could not reach them from the
ground so to do. Nor could / saw them
off by getting on the ladder as it leaned
against them, since to do this might be
to saw myself off in sense The axe
failed to cut them off because I could
not get in position to deal an effective
blow. / had recourse to a handsaw.
| would saw from the top of my step
ladder.
Posting the step-ladder at the foot Of
the tree proved another difficult opera
ton, for the ground was uneven, and il
was necessary to level off place tt
give the base secure hold
At this time it occurred to me that
was long way off from placing those
blue bird boxes. Every move thus
developed and necessary in this under
taking seemed to carry me farther from
the aim first sought-that of mailing tht
boxes to the tree. | had commenced
with the endeavor to place a ladder
against the trunk, found mind and bod,
Intercepted by those obstinate branches
had left the branches and now fount
myself at work with pick and shove
on the ground. l thought to myself
II wonder how far must travel away
from those boxes in this fashion in orde
to get themP Is this one of those af
fairs in life, seeming SO easy of accom-
plishment, really so difficult, whicl
looks as if it could be done in day
and which may require yearsp At al
events, the affair is assuming the aspec
of a sort of game, or rather combat, be
tween myself and this tree, and In
going to drop all hurry and anxiety tt
place the boxes and see which of us
myself or the tree, are to be. masters o
the situation"
'.The step-ladder sided with the tree
and was unreasonably particular il
getting a level base-now topping as
stood on it over on this side, now OF
that in a deeripit, helpless sort o
fashion 1t was striking example, il
It's seeming efforts to overturn me, o
what friend calls 1.-THE total depravlt,
OF finanimate things"
At last | mounted this ladder anC
commenced operations with the saw OF
branch No. l. The branch being
green and full of sap, the saw stucl
and hung in an obstinate manner
Being On the top board of the step-lad
Ger my footing was shaky and uncertain
sawed, worried by the thought of |
possible broken neck or leg, and ex
perlenced great wear and tear of mint
ahd body in consequence. Branch No
required q change of location for TIL,
slepiadder and another secure level fo
lts base. So did branch No. 3. B,
iae time the three branches were off
Iound myself forgetting the original in
tent OF all this work, and even wonder.
ing at times what L was working for.
1he branches were at last out of M
way and all seemed plain sailing.
raised the heavy ladder against tn
uee. 1t rested securely against tn
trank. | mounted it with one of tn
boxes IN my hands, gostwo thirds of tn
way to the ladders top, heard some
tang crack ominously and found tha
me lett ladder upright had diagona
spnt running throught it, was threaten
ang every instant to part, and that m,
neek was in greater danger than ever
aeseended rapidly, but carefully, iron