The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-06-02

filled room and me with its sweet
sense Of Joy unutterable, for was / not
standing at that white line that marks
with fadeless light the birth of things
and Of those material forces that clothe
the fields with verdure, the hills with
pride, the earth with men and heaven
with the spirits of men made perfect?
Aud through the silence, and as the
sweetest part of it, as purest note of
flute or flutelike voice breathed into
stiffness as fit soul into fittest body the
old-time statement, old and holy:
"In the beginning God created the
heavens and The earth"
"Then did l know myself" con-
tinued the log; know for what l was
created, that l was made 10 beautify,
sweeten and feed the world and that
was the expression of forces that are
deathless because needed, and should
move on forever in the course and or
der of imperishable things. From that
hour on l welcomed birds to my
branches and bees to my blossoms, and
all painting things in the hot summer
days TO my shade. The strong came
and ate of my fruit and were made
stronger. Children Toasted and thrived
on the mellow globes that fell from my
branches. The weak and sick ate of
me and were refreshed and strength
ened, and the juices of my fruit, pun
gent and richly favored, crowned the
feasts of your ancestors with gadness
and revelry. For 200 years l fed and
Toasted the men and women of your
name and blood, and the stranger
within their gates, and the hungry
wanderer that passed me by ate of my
life and Jared on rejoicing. Not a year
did fail them-not season was /
barren. was 80 happy to serve.
was so glad to be of use. 1t was Joy to
feel that l was component part of
wise order-a unit in the column of be-
nevolent forces whose total sums up
the worth of nature and the goodness
of natures God"
"Alas! alas! old treel" l exclaimed.
"Alasl that thou art dead That never
again will thy blossoms beautify the
garden or thy fruit feed mankind. And
to think that 1, who owe 80 much to
thee, should have felled thee to the
flames Alas! that my hand, even mine,
should have lighted thy funeral fire
and brought thee 80 quickly to thy end
For even now the solidness trembles TO
crumbling, and in few moments there
will of thee be nothing left, save bed
of embers and after little trace of
whitened ash, that the mighty draught
of the roaring chimney above will whirl
upward into the icy gale"
"Say not sol'' exclaimed the log.
"Thou art my friend in need, and
hence Gods angel. was dead solid
ity; l am becoming living force.
was lifeless body. l am becoming a
formative pursuance. l had come to
the end of a benevolent course. am
now beginning a beneficent career, /
was dead and in my grave. You smote
the pallid portals of my tomb, and
opened the gates of opportunity. When
next the sun shall light the world, its
beams will be my resurrection morn.
The liberty of elements is henceforth
mine. 1 shall mingle with the airs,
shall descend into the mould. As liv-
ing force, shall again invigorate roots.
l shall once more become vital sap.
l shall feed bough and twig and leaf.
l shall relieve my life of bud and bloom.
/ shall draw from air and rain, from
dew and warmth, and give to man anew,
aye to thee and thine, the mystery and
beauty of fruit. This is my Easter
night, and you behold in me, as con-
sumo, the proof and sign, the fact and
force of natures resurrection"
Was it the wind softened into music
by the smooth moulding of the cornice?
For by the calendar of the church no
Easter hymn might swell from organ
pipe or voice for weeks to come. Yet
music soft and pure as note of hermit
thrush from misty swamp at early dawn
was in the room.
| took the book and turned the leaves
and saw the blessed words as prisoned
men see stars:
6 am the resurrection and the life.
He that beiiGveth in me, though he
were dead, yet shall he live"
Then bowed l down my head and
held communion with all that l had
loved and lost. With noble women,
manly men and children fair and sweet;
with withered leaves and faded flowers
and broken rings and scenes and things
that once made life for me, but which
would be for me no more. And when
l rose and turned, the fire burnt low =,
the brands were brown and on the
hearth stone broad there lay little line
of whitened ashl