The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1890-07-11
THE WEEPING WILLOW.

Salar Babylonta-the Weeping Willow
is a native Of Asia, and previous to the
early part Of the eighteenth century was
unknown in Europe save from descriptions
by travellers. In the same quarter of the
globe hourishes the fg-tree, and vast guam
titles of dried figs have for centuries been
annually transported. About the year
1928 a box of this fruit was seat by an En-
glishman, who was seeking his fortune in
the East, to a friend in England. This
friend was Alexander Pope, the poet.
Not long before, Pope had purchased a
small estate near T~wickenham, on the
Thames, ten miles from London, and was
now giving full sweep to his poets fancy
in embellishing it.
When the box Of figs was opened, a
small twig was found among the fruit. but
evidently not belonging to it. Prompted
by his prevailing mania, Pope stuck tho
twig earelessly into the coy ground on
the bank of the river. The location could
not have been more fortunate. The slip
81" i"piHiJi ope WAS III rapture
when assured that it was a genuine Weer-
ing Willow of the East.
He cherished 1t with the greatest care.
esteeming it one of his most precious pos
sessions. Before he died it had already at
tanned a large size, and added greatly to
the attractiveness of the la wn of his famous
villa.
With its delicate boughs overhanging
the Thames, and dipping gracefully into
the water, it was a beautiful tree, and the
admiration of hundreds who came to
Twickenham to see it, and thus came the
little twig to be the progenitor of its race.
which is now 50 abundant along the
streams and in the church yards of the
British Islands.
Strange to say, Pepe's tree became IA
turn the parent of it's raee in America, aud
the story of its second emigration is quite
as Interesting as that OF the first.
When the War of the Revolution broke
out, and the troops OF King George were
embarking for New England, it was re-
garded as a most propitious opening for
ambitious young officers. A few weeks
would suffice for the subsection of the Col
onies, after which some persons looked
forward to rare sport In forest and stream.
some to military exploits in eombats With
the Indians, while others, more mereenary.
hoped to wrench from the wonderful re
sources of the New World fortunes ample
for themselves and their Successors. How
speedily did d-isenchantment follow
With General Clinton came a Young
aide-de-camp who cherished a more modest
scheme. An American plantation of broad
acres. With leisure, and sufficient income
to crafty a love Of embellishments an d adj
ornment; this dream had SO taken posses.
sion Of him that before his departure he
visited T~wickenham.
Pope had then been long dead, but his
beautiful villa had passed into hands that
jeaIously guarded everything consecrated
to the poets memory. Tie young officer
dreamed day dreams aud built air castIes
among Its beauties, and on leaving cut a
vigorous shoot from the now gigantic and
gnalled willow. This he carefully wrap
PED in oiled silk, and brought with him
across the Atlantic to adorn his American
domain.
1t will be remembered that after the bat.
tie OF Bunker Hill General GIinton's troops |
found themselves prisoners upon the little
peninsula, and guarded by W~ashington's
troops. The officers of the two armiesb had
occasion for frequent communications
under flags of truce. The officer most
frequently employed under this Grand by
General Washington was his stepson, John
farke Custis, then serving as his aide.
The noble mind and polished bearing oil
young Gusts speedily made friends for
him among the British officers. Espec-
tally between him and the young aide-de-
camp OF the willow shoot a strong attach
ment was formed. Perhaps Custis told
his military friend of the young wife
awaiting his return in Virginia, and con.
hded to him something of his hope for the
future, when, peace restored, he could re-
tire with her to his estate at Arlington.
However that may have been, when the
youthful Englishman's disillnsion came,
and he left Boston with the evacuation |
army in the Spring of 1776, he gave his
precious willow tw z to GUSTS. 1t was
planted soon after near Custis's house at
Arlington, Va, and became in time as
lordly a tree as its ancestor at Twieken-
ham, aud the progenitor 0 fmany, if not all,
the Weeping Willows in America.
SLIPPED THROUGH HOLE.
Young man, were you at school to-
dav?"