The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1893-05-04
THE WEISER SIGNAL.
THURSDAY. MAY 4, 1893.

Tomorrow is Arbor day. There
will be no particular observance of
the day in Weiser that we know of
However, the public square known
as the park will be set out in trees
on that day. and the school ground
has been plowed, we presume for
some such purpose, and if there is
any likelihood of the fence being com
pleted in time to prevent cattle from
destroying them, trees should be
planted there, also. by some of our
good people IT'S a lowly, humble
act, Gas all mans acts are humble),
but what more softening, kindly, gen
tie and withal grand and noble act
could be performed than planting a
little tree in school yard? A green
and graceful tree to grow up and
spread its waving, whispering branch
es above the heads and throw its
cool and welcome shade over the
painting forms Of coming. gener
ationl A tree planted by us to link
the present and our memory with the
future and our grand and great-grand
chiidren For man is born and dies,
but the tree he plants lives on and
his children's children play beneath
the shade it gives, and they think
kindly of the hand that planted it for
their pleasure. We would be glad to
see the day one of general observance
in the land not in name only but in
deed, for
From dawn Of time till now,
Mankind has blessed the tree,
Its fruit, so good for food
Its beauty, fair 10 see,
and 1t is fitting that we should give
one day IN the year to work that lives
to bless us when we are gone and to
be looked upon by our offspring as
monuments of the thoughtful love we
bore those who were to come after us.
1t is good that men shall now and
then be drawn away from worldly
cares and, on this day especially, OBJ
serve the occasion in way to call
forth all the soothing and softening
influences of nature, for mems lives
are intimately connected with trees,
and nature gave one of the gems of
her handiwork in the beautiful and
lordly tree. Pope tells us that,
Like leaves on trees the race of man is
found,
Now green in youth, now whitening on the
ground
Another race the following spring sup
plies;
They fall successive and successive rise
How trucl and how great part
does the tree bear in the life of all
thingsl Even the lowliest insects,
the squirrels Of the forest and the
birds of the meadow make the tree
their home. The mountain winds
moan through them and chant a sol
emn hymn of nature. Man plays
beneath the tree in his youth, he rests
beneath it in his manhood, he eats ano
receives nourishment from its luscious
fruits, he builds q sheltcring roo
from its trunk, from it he constructs
the car and the ship that conquers
distance and the waters and enables
him to sweep across the plain and the
ocean to all parts of the earth, with
it he supports the wire that flashes
his words from afar without q voice
he burns it and warns his chilled
body in its glow, and when he is
placed in his narrow home his bones
sleep beneath the shade of the elm
the yew and the weeping willow, ant
Bryant in "Thanatopsis" tells us tina
''the oak shall send his roots abroad
and pierce thy mold. All hail, oil
tree! We bow before thee in rever
ence. The SIGNAL wishes that mex
year will see all the people mingl,
together to observe the day with ora
tory, planting and picnicing in som,
grove.
Judge G. G. Goodwin, editor OF