Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-07-12

is no more there is peace and rest
at the foot of it.
The hidden mystery of the acorn
shoots up it's twig from Mother
Earth, and Father Time, assisted by
the warm sunshine and refreshing
showers gives to the world the stur-
dy oak. In the same way nature
gives us the lovely birch, the stately
pine and all the other trees of
orchard forest, hill and dale. Take
a look at yonder hillside and you
will say that nature has been lavish
in providing us with trees. So she
has but are they not ornaments of
beauty even though we see them
at a distance. Here they stand right
in cur midst. Do they not look gor-
geous as they stand here, reckoning
in the wind and shading us from the
sun. 1t has been said that all ora
tors are dumb when beauty plead
eth, and while | am no orator fully
realize the meaning of that phrase
when ] think of, and behold all the
beauty that surrounds me on every
side.
Shakespeare has said: lone touch
of nature makes the whole world
kim and this is certainly true. How
many Of us don't look forward to
the coming of spring? Long before
it arrives our hearts yearn for it's
coming. When the buds first make
their appearance we are overfilled
with JOY When at last the leaves
are out, and the birds hiding back
of them sing to you and to me, a
peculiar sensation oyertakes us. We
seem to beam with new life, we en-
terrain new hopes, and we are filled
with new ambitions. Every blade of
grass, every flower and every tree
inspires and encourages us to bet
ter and nobler living. Trees always
remind us of the good and beautiful
thinqs of the world by being good
and beautiful themselves. If we are
roaming through the forest and
cold drilling rain overtakes us. we
seek a bushy tree to protect us from
the wet, and We are received hOSpit-
ably and taken care of we'll In no
less degree is the tree friendly to
us at home When the heat becomes
oppressive and we are tired from
our daily toll, the trees offers shade
and rest without cost. Even the
storms of many years have beaten
against it. but all in vain, for when
the sun breaks through the clouds
again, it smiles and bows gently We
go to the orchard and there the bios
SONS of the apple and plum trees de-
light us with their sweet fragrance.
1t is spring indeed! Wherever we
turn nature greetS us with her beau
/ Fol = 80 IL
the flower of the hillside, and the
tree of the forest, and spring has
lost its charm, and life is robbed of
its purpose. Even Christ taught man
to link his life to natures beauties,
for he said: Consider the lilies of
the field; they spin not neither do
they toll, and yet | say unto you that
Solomon in all his glory was not ar
| rayed like one of these" If the
beauty of the lily took the eye of the
Master, why shouldn't we find en-
| ioyment in the realms of nature.
StCop over and see the forest flowers
| but don't be content with them
alone; look up and behold the beau
ty. the majesty and the mystery of
the Creators masterpiece in the
vegetable kingdom, the tree.
Now, when the sultry days of
summer have supplanted those of
breezy spring, we are all fond of
the tree. We find it kind guardian
against the piercing rays of the mid
summer sun. 1t is almost like an
umbrella, being held over us and the
little leaves fan the cool breeze down
upon us from above. Let time move
on and some autumn day we shall
take stroll back to the forest. Be-
hold. the tree has changed it's gar
ments. 1t has laid aside its spring
and summer coat of green. 1t is now
flaming with radiant beauty like the
glory of an evening sunset when the
sun resembles fire and the clouds
turn golden red. Truly, even the
autumn Is pretty with its mixture OF
crimson and gold. What contrast
between the spring and the fall. Then
everything is springing into life. In
the fall everything is falling from
death. But let us not be mournful
as we see the leaves fading and fall
ing, for although they are silent
they speak of another life. They
seem to proclaim resurrection and
the life hereafter. They remind the
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