The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-09
IT'S SONS ARE STURDY AND MAxr.
They show 10 strangers the GIoriea OF Hart
ford's Prolific Charter Oak.

ioFub hFohuc tuhrtcF uhh.
Hartford is q nice little city for its size,
somewhat smaller than Boston and somewhat
larger than several other towns" said Globe
Trotter, wisely, but it struck me when l
explored the place last week that there was but
one general topic on which every Hartford
man was eloquent, and that was oak trees.
Shortly after Smith had welcomed me to the
place and offered to me the freedom of the town,
which / politely declined, he said in an off hand
way:
"t0f course, old man, you have heard of our
historical old Charter Oakf
"'Oh, yes, yes, of course said T, vaguely. 1
am a little weak on history. you know.
"'Well, SIR said Smith. I am going to give
you a treat Come along with me-
81 went with Smith to Bushnell Park, and
there in the centre of a small plot OF ground
stood a good healthy looking ~oak.tree. Smith
told me that 1t was white oak, and that it Lud
just completed it's fftieth year.
VERY creditable, I'm sure said /.
at Is, indeed said Smith, and then, taking
off his hat, he whispered TO me mysteriously:
This tree is a descendant of the old original
Charter Oak. 1t was grown from an acorn
picked up under the original tree
Every interesting said l..
Smith seemed to be disappointed, and as we
walked back he looked at me curiously, as il
wondering what sort of a sinner l was.
Then there was Brown. and n nice fellow
he is. After we had established several mu-
tual friends and I had explained that l Yves on
my first visit TO Hartford, he said to me:
"'old man, l feel as if l had known you a
long time, and l am anxious to show you some
thing that will repay you for your visit to Hart
ford. Unless you are tired, we will walk
We walked until was nearly dead, and
In the OutAklrTH OF Town. brown left me af
mistress. He returned 10 me smiling and said:
Fortunately l know her. and i have her
II was very much excited as We tip.toed
plant or at least, a fierce dog. There was
nothing Of special interest in the landscape of
lures were a tree and a VERIFIED clothesline.
for II was Monday. Brown took Inc by the
hand and led me under the tres. He took off
You are now standing under a tree grown
from an acorn picked up under the Charter
Good gracious!' said l..
Yes said Brown.
This time | looked at Brown cnrIously. 1
an exalted expression. and as we slowly walked
back TO the club he kept his thoughts TO him
Smith and Brown seemed to be sane, and they
evidently wanted to be friendly. At the club
that evening / met n charming old man. Jones
will do for his name, and he invited me to ride
after his fast team the next morning. Jones
~ believe in having an objective point
when you go to ride he said. and ! think that
you viii be satisfied with the one have Sc
I'VE drove about ten miles ont into the coun-
try. over delightful roads, and then we stopped
at a farmhouse. The horses were led under IA
1--WE will take a little walk to stretch our
legs. ! will , show Eop something that will re-
on we trudged through the fields for a mile
until We came to a lone tree.
=. .Tln,Yhf \ hadn't fnHs-nftnp NrEanni u atAnl -
said Jones triumphantly., This, sir, is an oak
grown from an acorn picked ny under the old
Charter Oak, IL is authentic.
" Astonishing said |. because l couldn't
think OF anything else TO say.
and / a aRsT i have woq 9Ea EPs lsss' to }G %hda sstG 52 Rim,
was beginning TO get interested in that pro
life Charter Oak.
go there with good letters OF Introduction, and
on the evening Of my second day ! found my
by Mrs. ~Soand.So. Her dining room furni.'
ture was mahogany, bui ] noticed casually that
my chair wac 81 iiIht wood Surion,iy fash.
during the evening, because ! notiCct that the
guests cast covert Chances in my, direction very
suppressed excitement. II was all explained
with the coffee. =,
said the hostess, ,addressing me, There yns;
silence at the table. You have bccn sitting,
continued my hostess imprcssivc!y, in a chair
made from "a tree grown from an acorn IlcEcd
up under the Charter Oak
Every eye was turned toward me as II cN.
pecting some response. ! arose, walked around
my chair, and sat down again.
why did you do thar asked the hostess.
" ITS a trick of the iakirs in India when they
suspectthat they have been hOodo3-er.er-grcatly
honor1d,' stamlnercd, and the other guests
c!apped and said. How interestingly.
II oon'l Ike TO cXngEeEaic, but the descend:
ants Of that old Charter Oak drove me out OF
hartford. When n man began telling an in
teresting story In the club he would stop just
before the climax and drag mc out 10 see a tree
grown from an acorn picked up nndGT The Cd
They we're SO deadly earnest about IL that !
didn't like 10 offend them. \ cahnlan urged
me TO engage him beCausC The spokes IN the
Wheels OF his CAB were in some way connected
with the Charter Oak. | paid my, hotel o'il
over l. desk made from a son OF the Charter OAK
and I fed the town. ! have since hccn looking
up the history of that ouk and wondering what
/ can infict on the Hartford men when, they
come down to sec me. ] have concluded thai
Washington's only official headquarters around
New York will about fill the bill i have found
ninety.eight SUCH buildings and returns arc
OminR In every day. Curious; Lsnl ~ NOW