The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-29
"WoOdman, Spare that Tree"

We reproduce below the famous song
of George p. Morris. 1t is exceedingly
appropriate for the celebration of Arbor
Day in schools, and should be men,
orized by all the pupils and recited or
sung on that day:
Woodman, spare that tree!
Touch not single bough!
In youth it sheltered me,
And I'll protect it now.
Twas my forefather's hand
That placed it near his cot;
There, wopdman, let it stand
Thy ak shall harm it mott
That old familiar tree,
Whose glory and renown
Are spread DER land and sea-
And wouldst thou hack it down?
Woodman, forbear thy stroke
Cut not its earth-bound ties
o, spare that aged oak,
Now towering to the skies
When but an idle boy
/ sought its grateful shade;
In all their gushing Joy,
Here, too, my sisters played.
My mother kissed me here;
My father pressed my hand
Forgive the foolish tear;
But let that old oak stand
My heart-strings round thee cling,
Close as thy bark old friend
Here shall the wild-bird sing,
And still thy branches bend
Old tree. the storm still brave
And, woodman, leave the spot;
While I've a hand to save,
Thy AK shall harm it not.
The following story of its origin will
excite greater interest in the poem and
the occasion: " Mr.. Morris, in a letter
to a friend, dated New York, February
l, 1887, gave in substance the following
account: Riding out of town few
days since, in company with friend
an old gentleman, he invited me to turn
down little, romantic woodland pass,
not far from Bloomingdale. your OBJ
ject?' inquired l. Merely to look once
more at an old tree planted by my
grandfather long before / was born,
under which l used to play when a boy,
and where my sisters played with me.
There / often listened to the good adj
vice of my parents. Father, mother
sisters-all are gone; nothing but the
old tree remains And a paleness
overspread his fine countenance, and
tears came to his eyes. After mo.
ment's pause, he added: Don't think
me foolish. | don't know how it is;
never ride out but l turn down this
lane to look at that old tree. have g
thousand recOllections about it, and
always greet it as familiar and well.
remembered friend These words were
scarcely uttered when the old gentle.
man cried out, There it is!' Near the
tree stood a man with his coat off
sharpening an ak. YOU'RE not going
to cut that tree down, surely?' yes
but | am, though said the woodman
What for?' inquired the old gentle
man, with choked emotion. 'Wha
for? l like that! Well, l will tell you
l want the tree for firewood.' 'Wha
is the tree worth to you for firewood?
Why, when down, about ten dollars
Suppose | should give you that sum,
said the old gentleman, would you lie
it stand?' Yes You are sure O.
that?' Positive' 'Then give me f.;
bond to that effect We went into tn,
little cottage in which my companion
was born, but which is now occupied
by the woodman. drew up the bond
1t was signed, and the money paid over
AS we left, the young girl, the daugh
ter of the woodman, assured us tina
while she lived the tree should not b,
cut. These circumstances made strons
impression on my mind, and furnished
me with the materials for the song
send YOU"