The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1910-09-23

defect Of its great quality Of con-
stancy. In summer its shade Is deep
er. its recesses more cool than those
OF other woods: and in winter. just
when most trees are leafiess and I'M
able to fight. II bears the full weight
OF the snow and meets the whole force
Of the destroying winds. It stands to
face disaster when others faint or run.
The analogy with man Is again strik-
ing and complete. Yet its qualities
are not only negative. More than
most. It gives out-without reward.
often without recognition: for the
great forests that sweeten the world
with their balsam. life-giving odors,
stand most often in the desolate re-
gions of the earth. perhaps even I'M
known. And. by their death, they be-
come more useful still. journeying
over all the seas. In the true sense.
most ascetic OF trees, accepting dis
cipline that good may come for
others, not for themselves!
Like the vital human personality,
too. what atmosphere" laura. people
call 1t nowadays) 1t has, What 1t
lends of suggestiveness to the COM
monest landscape-a few pines clus-
tered on the hill: somber group
among the green trees in the plain!
ing It's dark crest against the hoard
ings of the street. how its picturesque
ness spread about It! 1t Is the gypsy
among trees. and its perfume, like
the wood fire. sets the blood aflame
for wandering and for the lonely
places of the world. At the sight of 1t
one thinks. perhaps. of the stone pine
into which the forest has whispered
Its gravest and sweetest thought"
and at the same instant Is caught
away to that other revelation where
1t stands by the sea. For. by the
shore of southern seas, II betrays a
scarcely suspected touch of melan-
choly. gentle and pathetic in its es-
sence. feminine almost. that makes
the heart yearn for lovely and impos-
sible things. One sees it there. root.
ed among golden sands. and gazing
across a waste of purple sea. the
wash Of whose waves Is hardly to be
distinguished from the wash of wind
through It's own branches.
The mystery OF the pines. too. seems
to hold peculiar quality unap-
preached elsewhere In nature; 1t sub
dues without terrifying. inspires awe
without distress. and Is more human
than the mystery which belongs to
mountains. sea or desert. The fairies
come out from the pine woods; for no
other woods conceal SO gently. yet
hold within their velvety recesses
such possibilities of revelation. To
meet them Unexpectedly is to expert
ence thrill of subtle suggestion
Among tanner trees. suddenly to come
upon these black, vigorous things.
contemptuous of soil. independent of
sympathy. thriving where others droop
or die. is to know a leap of the imag-
ination. an increase of vitality. as
when. among a crowd Of common
souls. one finds a man-strong. radia-
ting confidence and hope. Their very
darkness stimulates. One cannot con-
ceive such trees STOPPING to any kind
Of show. "Lowland trees" says the
author OF Modern Painters" may
'show themselves gay with blossoms
and glad with pretty charities of
fruitfulness." but the pines have
harder work to do for man and must
do it In closest troops" While
other trees may turn their paleness
to the sky If but rush O: rain
passes Them by. the pines must live
carelessly amidst the wrath of
Clouds" and "only wave their
branches to and fro when q storm
pleads with them. as men toss their
arms in a dream. You cannot reach
them. cannot cry to them: these trees
never heard human voice." he says,
speaking of their inaccessible multi.
tudes among the precipices; they are
far above all sound but Of the
winds. !.