Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1894-10-19
The Comus "Big Trees. )"

Mr. Editor In previous communica
ton, | dropt a tear over the assassination Of,
some of Comus' "blg trees" to day Ego out
with line and rule to take the dimensions OF
some of those giants in order to show that it
is wholly unnecessary for him who sees
"Temples in trees, books in running brooks
and good in everything" to make IA pill
grimage of three thousand miles to the Pa.
cifc coast to look upon those much lauded
monsters, the "big trees" He can do about
as well to visit Comus, for we have some
trees that are well worthy inspection,
Perhaps our unknown an uupOetized old
trees do not quite equal in height and girth
the red woods and the Sequ1ta gigantic of
California, but to my eye they are far more
beautiful, aud should think the associa
tons surrounding them would be far dearer
to every Comusite. They cannot boast an
age of three thousand years land do not
believe the redwoods Of California can, sci
ence to the contrary Notwithstanding but
they were old when our grandtathers were
young, and that makes them old enough TO
be respected and honored by all.
AS draw my line around the trunks of
these lightning SCARED veterans, whose
names are too sacred to be Latinized, can
not help recalling the day when perhaps
some Indian took shelter behind them and
sent the quivering arrow to the heart OF the
unwary settler; or later, when our grand
mothers, as the artless and untutored little
girls OF the sweet long ago" resorted hither
to gather the bountiful donation of these
blessed old trees. Again my thoughts are
directed to him who once owned the woods
and fields for miles around these trees, and
who in his childhood, century and quar-
ter ago doubtessy made this sacred re-
sort No doubt he revered this old tree as
a venerable kinsman. The southern sun
throws its shadow over his neglected and
forgotten grave | peer through the bushes
and briars that cover his last resting place,
and upon the plain marble head stone read:
John Wilson, died October II, 1854, aged
So years"
The autumn wind seems to hum a sor-
rowlul dirge to the memory of the almost
forgotten dead, and | am reminded by its
voice, the neglected grave, and the decay
ing body OF this blessed old tree that how
ever man may rejoice in the strength OF his
young manhood, if he has not some tirmer
foundation upon which TO ground his hopes
than anything which earth can give, he can
but "Revel in decay, and stand ruin amidst
ruins"
To mark the last resting place of the six
or more sleepers that lie within the rule en-
closure mot all OF the same family there is
but one maidstone. The beautiful, snowy
head OF the yucca marked the grave OF one
sleeper last summer, and the myrtle, en-.
bem of true love, covers three unknown
graves. A large Sassatras has planted itself
upon the grave OF the once lordly proprietor
| OF these broad acres, seeming DESTROYS to as
sert its power over the venerable occupant
below and the nothingness OF all human
hopes for earthly immortality,
The chestnut of which | have spoken, is
eight feet in diameter at the ground. Sew
eral large limbs were torn from 1t by last
summers storm. l next cast my line around
the PROSTATE trunk of a cherry tree, also
overthrown by last summers storm-it is
seven feet in diameter. Near by stands
beautiful and healthy Usage orange--lt is
over ten feet in circumference, or little over
three feet two inches in diameter. L need
not remind the reader that this is the same
kind as the stunted specimens OF our hedges
Farther on | find pine, probably the largest
in the county 1t is ten feet six inches in
girth, making ii three feet, four inches in
diameter. Last summer there stood near
the barn of the present owner OF these trees,
white walnut Last winter IT was sacr-
feed to appeass the greed OF llagerstOwn
company 1t would have been treasure
and an ornament to any public or private
grounds that this world can afford Across
the smooth, black stump | draw MY line,
and the width is four feet, three inches. |
| tried to count the rings OF this tree in order
to report its age, but they were too indis
t,nct The rapid growth OF these trees may
| have deceived me as to their age The
Usage orange is not over fifty years old,
from the statement OF her who planted IT,
We will now leave the Wilson estate and
repair to tract of land which, 1T the be
ginning of the present century, was the
/ hnp If Int n
George Pearre, late of Cumberland, and Mr.
james Pearre, of Comus. Here, too, lie the
remains OF the former owners IL seemed
| to be the desire of those aged landowners
to rest in the soil Of their childhood homes
and in the shadow of those beautiful old
trees around whose gigantic forms they had
played in childhood II these old trees
could speak what stories they could tell oil
their young masters! But perhaps il is bet
ter that their tongues are closed against the
| inqusitive ear Of the reporter,
| The first tree measured on this farm was
d chestnut and the largest, most beautiful
and most perfect OF all. " has known, per
! haps more than hundred years, but looks
to be but in its prime and is now covered
| with bountifuI supply OF It's glossy brown
| fruit. 1t is nearly nine feet in diameter
| Near the ancient brick residence on this
farm, and shading the largest aud most
beautiful spring in this section, stands n
| splendid oak 1t is over seven feet IN diane
ter. With this we will close our report.
1t may be tedious to some, but these Trees
are sacred objects with the writer and should
be dear to every Comus heart. They speak
well of the soil that can produce such prod
gies they telof the youth and purity OF our
land, and direct our thoughts to that Power
that has covered this world of ours with
such indescribable beauty and grandeur
| Comus, Md. y.