The Helena independent., 1889-04-16
AN ARBoR DAY IDYL.
Br HENRY 0. ooLlNs.

BT nESRY 0. CoLlANe.
II hopes he'll live for bur dred yeare,
And hopes he'll never die.
lt'e A. famous 3 tree ever 1 see,
And that's what says. sAys !. ."
Twas queer old mAn With watering pot.
And we'll worn spade had hs,
Ana be mnitered the words, overheard,
As he digeed about the tree.
"K1cusa me, cir, /, approaching. said.
.But the tree seems thrifty and well;
Why should Jou strive 10 keep Il alive
Pay, come me the story teIlf"
Il hopes he'll live for hundred year,
And hopee he'll never die
lrs Ne famous tree ss ever zee,
And that's what I sAys, says ~
"But what lie the story ia like TO know
Why you, who are near the grave,
Sh0uld 90 careful be of the brave old tree
Which needs not your care TO save
"rhe story ia true. 4" the old man sAid,
Ae he lesned on bic we'll worn spade;
II know IL well, and Will try 10 tell
tyou'l rect you here In the shade.
Twas on ArbOr Day atty years ago
There was \ sch bol juet b sfeAb0nts-
And the children they had g ho idAy
and was eettin' our thar sprouts.
THAR WAS one bright lad, marked him well,
For handsome lad was he;
On this very spot-l'Ye not forgot
He planted this selfsame tree.
"He sang q cong aa he tucked IL In,
And he proudly marched away,
As Il he showed what he planted growed,
II planted on that day.
"well, the tree II thrived for may q year,
And the boy 10 q man gIowed he;
Ae ornerry chap Ae was my mishap,
or my mlef0rtin 10 see.
"But ne wore good clothes A. the rest othem,
And folks called him handsome Jim,
As wutalees blade ss was ever made,
Bat the girls took shine 10 him.
81 was Twin then ss I'm Twin now
In yon house just over the way;
My children come from my happy home
Beneath this old tree to play.
ard prospered well snd the eighbors said
There was none 90 rich me;
osned the ground for mile around,
And We lived contentedly.
"rd horees and cattle and hogs and sheep,
And daughter had named Nan,
Ae lovely q lass As ever glsss
Told one che was loved Dy man.
"And many a lad as I'D like 20 own
For son come a conrtln' che,
But nary one did she ever run
In the direction OF me
al found Il out as father WILL
she WAS meetin' o'ni. hts with jim,
80 me and her ma isye down the law,
Ard we puts stop to him.
"But IL killed poor Nan, who pined away
She dieo In the old home meet
And babe of shame 70 blot our name
was buried on her young breast.
"Apd mother. che couldn't outliye the shsns;
She sleeps by her daughters side.
I'm all that's left, I'm since bereft-
All, sli OF my own have died.
"Jim married a likely, laughin' gal,
And broke her heart with HE wsys;
But the mean live on when the good are gone
Yet wuthleesness never pays.
"The uiiin' whelp went from bad to worse,
But be brings up short At last;
For on that limb We swings up Jim,
Ard the rspe, we makes IL fast
"Ynu see the man was material thief;
lie d horees and cattle tsks,
Bnt we stopped his sin when we tux him 10,
For the rope It didn't break.
81 hopee hen live for hundred yesrs
And hopes he'll never die.
It's ae famous 9 tree as ever zee,
And that's what says, says l."
But II Jim was hanged and dead is he
Why should yUu want IL TO thrlye'
For the memory OF such tree
I'D ne'er want TO keep alive"
"you axes why eth tends the tree
When IL bore tuch fruit IS JIM
Well though he's gone he lsft son
A deraed sight mesner than him."