River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-06-17

they noticed her at all, would look up
and say:
what an ugly, deformed tree! it
ought to be cut down"
But once a girl, with bright, hap
Ply face, came up the hill and said.
sweetly,
Dear little cedar tree, how hard you
have tried to growl You remind me
of some people lives.
And the heart of the cedar tree gave
a great thrill of joy at being for once
understood. Is it so she wondered.
Are there some young lives in the
world that are kept back and hindered
as have been, and who struggle up to
manhood and womanhood through
difficulties greater, perhaps, than
mine ?"
This thought cheered and helped the
/ little cedar tree very much, and when
the little daisies and buttercups, which
grew among the vines and grasses,
asked her questions about what was
| going on the other side of the hill she
always answered them so pleasantly
that the little flowers came to be very
/ fond of her, and, one by one, they
| drew nearer, until the merry crowd of
/ blossoms clustered lovingly around her
4 feet. That was very bright and pleas
ant, for they were all gay young things,
| beloved by the birds aud bees, whis-
/ pering and dancing together in the
Sunshine. making the most of their brief
bright lives. The cedar tree loved
them al dearly, and with an unSeliish
heart rejoiced every day in their beauty,
and happiness.
! And when an occasional bird rested
for moment in its flight on one of her
| branches, and trilled forth n sweet
song, she felt both pleased and thank
| full, making the most OF every bright
thing that came in her way. When
any one really tries to do that they
usually find most unexpected rewards,
and so it was with the little cedar tree.
For one fragrant May morning two
| little vesper sparrOws, who were look
ing around for a safe place in which to
build their nest, happened TO spy a
little hollow in a thick clump of daisies
and grasses, which had crept SO close
to the cedar that they made a sweet,
warm tangle around her feet 1t
seemed just the spot for birds to Pestle
in, and the vesper sparrOws began inn
mediately bringing materials and
talking over plans. Day by day the
small nest grew toward completion,
and all the vines and grasses and
sweet flowers and ferns agreed that
they would do their best to protect the
little family from harm and hide the
dear home from human eyes, while the
cedar tree looked happily down and
watched all their proceedings with a
grateful heart.
Here at last was something for her
" do and enjoy. Her trunk might be
ill-shapen and ugly, but at least it could
give firm support to this fragile little
nest, and her spreading branches could
protect from storm and tempest the
tender lives who sought her shelter.
And then it was such happiness to have
all this young life so near; to listen to
the chirp of the little ones and the
mothers soft notes of love; to watch
the faithful parents come and 90 with
food for the ever hungry mouths, and
to see the tiny birds every day growing
bigger and stronger.
But best of all, when evening came
the proud father-bird always flew to the
cedar topmOJt twig, and there in the
twilight tri!led forth his vesper hymn.
Perhaps you know that this beau
tiful evening song has given to
this bird his name of the vesper
sparrow, and if you wish to hear him
him you must go, some June evening,
to an upland pasture or hillside, for it
is in such high and lonely places that
his ''long silver notes of peace and
rest are ALWAYS to be heard.
Once the girl who had pitied the
dwarfed cedar climbed the hill again in
the twilight Her face was ncC quite
so happy as it had been before. Per
haps some sorrow has come to her, "
thought the cedar; but as she listened
to the vesper bird 5 hymn of faith and
iOy, some of the sadness left her eyes.
Dear little tree" she whispered,
gently: chow glad am that you who
seem so lonely on this hilltop should
have that sweet song to cheer you;
perhaps had you been happy and
beautiful down in the woods the vesper
bird would not have chosen your
bough whereon TO sing his evening
song
So you see the little cedar tree had
not lived her solitary life for nothin 2,
or without happiness; for out from her
had gone help and cheer, and around
her had gathered beauty, and fragrance
and song; and so it may be with us,
wherever we are placed in this world,
if only we try to do our best, aud keep
our hearts full Of kindness and sym
patty and love for others.