, 1890-01-07
MY NEIGHBOURS TREE.
LESSON TAUGHT BY CLOSE STUDY
OF THE MYSTERIES OF NATURE.

As 1t Looks and Seems to Il. Summer
and winter-Tho Glitter Amer a Spring
shower-Ths Thunder Storms and Au-
tums of Life-whAt They Mean
Ny room, which is in a high house, is
on an even height with the crown of the
tree opposite. For seven years this tree
has been a true friend to me. How often
it has refreshed my sightl 1 have here
at different times jotted down what 1
saw, thought and dreamed about it.
Everything in nature has its fixed des-
tiny-man alone has the worry. In ma
ture there is a 'must," with man it is
'you shall" and, therefore, there is a
desire of freedom in the heart of man
kind, an endeavor to discern our natural
destination. Schiller says:
Seek you the highest, tho greatest TIE plant can
teach you it;
What It is without n will, you should be willingly,
The history of religion begins with di-
vine alteration of certain trees, and this
culture became so deeply rooted hat it
was difficult to destroy it. The ENJOYS
of Christianity had to apply the ak to
the holy trees to destroy this kind of
worship.
The crown of the tree is too high to be
reached by regulating garden shears; it
rounds itself. Take a lesson from the
tree, raise yourself up, man; learn to
stand high in yourself and the world
n mold you against your will.
My tree stands in my neighbours gar
den. 1t is not mine, and yet my pleas.
ure is o decreased by the thought that
it is not my property. In the contem-
plation of that which is eternal there is
nc mine and thine, and the pleasure
makes n happy and asks not from
whence it came.
1t is a withered tree during the winter,
and the thought arises, "Who knows if
it yet lives? Will leaves, branches and
fruit thrive AGAIN. Spring-new or re-
turning life-will show.
After a spring sun shower, how all the
branches glitter with the hanging drops,
which play in wonderful colors. What
an absorption there must be in the treesi
AS o as the rain ceases the finch ap-
pears and sings his song so gayly that it
seems the merry fellow had freshly
moistened his throat; and, indeed, it is
so, for man and bird sing better after a
rain than in dry and close air.
The tree has its hours of animation.
Science has discovered that the life of a
plant is strongest under the influence OF
the light, especially in the hours before
midday.
In April there wa another snow. All
he branches were laden, all day long
the flakes whirled about, and it was all
still and quiet, except now and then a
complaint from the finch. A chill per-
vaded nature; even people in heated
rooms could not keep warm. 1t seemed
as II life and soul were in sympathy with
the millionfold sorrow of the scared
away birds and newly opened blossoms.
Whoever enjoys the life of nature must
also suffer with it. Natures life is harsh
and sharp, for all life is a struggle. Even
If q thousand blossoms, which have
scarcely bloomed, pass away, the devel-
opment of natures forces is OVERLOOKING;
also in human life only little comes to
pass which blossoms in the mind as wish
and aspiration.
The tree takes in only fluid food, and
corresponds in this point with the first
life of the child or animal.
A child destroying a plaything which
is put together by strange hands is forced
to do SO by its curiosity to examine the
inner works. Neither can science act
differently tlsan to follow natural life,
and by investigation it kills that taken
in hand. To be separated from nature
has n tendency to make tender.
A hail storm has broken off a branch
and another will not grow again in its
place, but the tree may add new branche.
and twigs, and the wound of the torn
off branch may heal up.
A thunder storm in the vicinity has
snapped off trees and uprooted others,
and when a tree is down and its roots
are exposed it is not questioned how it
was thrown down and uprooted, but
how it could have existed and grown in
such a thin layer of soil. SO it is with
many so called heroes; when they have
fallen one can scarcely conceive the pos.
sibility of their former state.
Autumn comes with such force thai,
you feel as though you were parting with
the dearest associates; that you had not
fully returned their friendship, and that
you had not enjoyed them as you could
and should have done. The reflection
returns how you could have hoped in
the spring to take In the life of summer
~ AaAA otbhbo aiiu hNllB htHlGCItu
it, it is now too late; and 30 it will be in
the autumn of your life.
Cease remorse, which overcomes you
with the falling of the leaves. Wake up
and work in the new day. 1nasmuch as
the fallen leaf returns to its stem, SO will
a day passed return to you, but there
will be new leaves and new days as long
as life is allowed to you.
The stripping of the leaves seems to
go on more quickly than the leafing, be-
cause the falling of the leaves is more
plainly visible, although the dying off of
the tree really lasts as long as its return
to life.
He who studies nature in winter is
nearer to it than the season enjoying
ones, the city people, who only go into
the country when the table of nature is
Set Can one say of such persons, who
are u%nfaithful to nature: Yesterday
they seemed so lear to you, and today
they act almost as though they would
ask: WHO are your" Yes, there are
| people whOSA Derraptinp Of l;fa 10 op1y