The news & observer., 1900-11-18
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them held it high in the air when
there rang on the stiffness of the
morning air, the words: Put that
axe down" The tone was one of COM
mand. 1t was uttered by one in au-
thority. The negro had heard it be-
fore and he quickly dropped his axe.
''What are you doing there, YOU vaga-
bonds?" cried the interrupter i'm
tone of wrath. He had not seen the
preacher. The large tree hid his slen-
der form.
The negro replied: eve are going
to cut down the tree"
"If you put an axe to that tree, I'll
put you both in jail roared out the
man whose fortunate appearance
saved the tree And the negroes turn
ed a shade paler, for the speaker was
Sheriff Jonas Crowell God bless him.
even if he does now live in the Radical
State of West Virginia).
what do you mean by this?" he in
quired.
BY that time the preacher, a cour-
ageous man who could face anybody.
emerged from behind the tree and
said: THAT tree is rotting the roof
of the church. / have hired these
men to cut it down."
That almost took away the breath
, of Sheriff Crowell, for he was an old
fashioned Methodist who believed in
| honoring the pastor i'm charge" But
he recovered in a minute, and looked
up at the tree and was moved by the
sweet music of the birds who were
singing their matin hymns in its leafy
branches. That gave him nerve to
''stand up ag1n" the preacher
'By what authority do you order
this tree cut DOWN." he asked the
preacher.
''As pastor of this church." was the
reply.
''You have nothing to do with the
property of this church" answered the
sheriff. 'The trustees control it, ! am
a member of the board of trustees
Have you called a meeting and obtain
ed their consent?"
NO" was the reply, "that is not
necessary. As pastor | am in charge
and have the right to have the tree cut
down. and he said it defiantly
II am a trustee of this church, said
the sheriff, with determination. land
will stand here till Christmas before
an axe shall touch IT." and he spoke
with a little more defiance than the
| preacher
| The negroes stood still. The matter
was growing interesting. Preacher
and trustee kept their temper, they
! didn't say bad word, but they were
/ both hot in the collar" and each de-
| termined to have his way. The
preacher nothing daunted. then turn
/ ed to the negroes he had hired and
! said: "Do as | told You. Cut down
| the tree" and one raised his axe. That
was most too much for the sheriff
! That tree shaded him in church every
| Sunday. If he had said a little cuss
word | think the angel would have
dropped a tear and blotted it out. But
he didn't. no matter what he thought.
| He turned to the negroes with a
| clouded brow and thundered at them:
| "If you cut chip out Of that tree, I'll
put hand-cuffs on you both and slap
YOU in Jail" And he would have done
| it. too. law or no law, for he was in Il
towering rage. as he thought that
next Sunday the sun would blaze on
/ his head, where the hair was growing
thin.
go on said the pluclly preacher.
'Cut down this tree"
''1f you touch it," said the trustee,
81 will put you in Jail"
| i must admit that the trustee had
the advantage of the preacher owing
to his official position. The negroes
| knew he carried the keys to the jail,
and they were more afraid of going to
! Jail than they were covetous Of the
| two dollars the preacher would give
them. And so, the preacher still eX-
| horting them to cut down the tree, the
negroes began to put on their coats.
| The preacher was outdone but not de-
feated utterly. He said that he could
hire other men and that that tree
should come down. The trustee said
| it would never come down except over
| his dead body.
| do not know whether the full meet
ing of the trustees was held or not
whether the preacher was directed
under pains and penalties not to cut
the tree down (the records would
show, but I do know that the tree
is still standing there and has given
shade during all the months and
years. I never see it. or stand in its
shadowing foliage, without saying to
myself 'Jonas Crowell had the stuff
| in him that was in Oliver Cromwell
More power to his hand as he saves
shade trees from destruction!" J. d.