The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-08-30
The Trees of North Bennington

The streets of the village are not
well adapted to treeplanting. They
are narrow. more or less billy and
crooked, and. except for three tiny tri-
angles, they have no common or open
spaces where trees would naturally be
set.
Nevertheless, perhaps nowhere can
be found village more blessed than
this with that which so largely makes
the glory of Vermont-its trees. To
them 1t owes Its name The French
men were familiar enough with noun
tains in their own land they were
stirred, not by the heights, but by the
vivid tree tints, when they shouted
"Voila les verbs monts!"
Owing TO the circumstance first men,
toned, the village trees almost all
stand in yards and other private
lands. They are OF the common, in
|digenous varieties, as naples and
elms,, with here and there q few OF
the evergreen species. They are
rarely or not at all set out with any
view OF art. but apparently have been
placed much at random, or as they
happened to grow.
No finer specimens of the maple and
elm can be found than in and near
this village. Some OF them have an
individuality or history OF their own
or have both. In the yard OF the Eli
we'll residence on Prospect street,
stands a very fine maple. The writer
passed his first fifteen years beneath
/ its shade. For 80 feet its massive
trunk rises perfectly straight and with
out a twig; then its head is lifted for
so feet more, symmetrical, acorn-shap-
ed. Near the top. in one spot it has
been injured little, as If by light
ming, but otherwise IL shows no signs
OF the march of time, nor can the wri-
ter see that II has changed especially
In more than sixty years. Not far
away, In insdillville, stands noble
elm. Years ago, the late T. w. Park
was driving by just as men we're pre-
pairing TO put the axe to II. He pulled
up, lifted his hands In depreciation and
pleaded with them to spare so stately
tree. They were obdurate. They
wanted the money, and all his argu-
ments went for nothing. He was
about TO drive on but finally called out
"Tll give you fifty dollars to spare
the tree" That, and that that alone,
fetched them He paid over the mon
ey-and straightway posted over to
the recorders Office and had the agree
ment put In legal shape. That was
| fine OF him But, alas, the tooth OF
time is sharper than any woodsman's
axe. and has visibly begun to rayage
this noble trunk, although a skillful
freebooter may yet save It II he be.
gins In time. In the backyard OF j.
o. Bangs premises is another perfect
elm. II is not so remarkable for its
size, though that 10 great, as for its
symmetry Viewed from the road on
the northwest side II looks like 81
gantic bouquet ready for the hand OF
a giant TO lift After ALL the elm Is
what a French traveller called 1t, the
finest plant In New England" Its
roots take broad. firm grip on
mother earth; its branches hang down
ward, graceful, swaying. pendulous-'
so light they yield to zephyr. so
strong that after the fiercest blast, the
heaviest storm, they return unhurt to
their place with fluid and plastic ease
lin and near North Bennington one
sees them in perfection-in Streets
yards, pastures, fence-corners-where'
ever he pleases to turn the eye OF de-
light and appreciation. In the south
west corner OF the village, on the es'
tate OF Governor Mccullough, IL
niece OF woodland of thirty or forty
acres. Il Ia, perhaps, the only bit OF
primeval forest left In this region
away from the mountain sides. A
6ne road leads to Il and winds through
It's mazes OF dim aisles and leafy COW
erts. Whoever visits It enjoys true
and rare privilege. -
Who was II that exclaimed What
thought that was when God trst
Thought OF a treel" In this village
one feels the force OF the thought
Imagine. n you can, what the land
ecape would be without them--how
bare. how arid. how unimpresslve--
like Jove without a beard, like Athene
without flowing vestments. Moreover
putting their beauty and utility aside
what a comfort they are. What man
is that who hath not sometimes In an
hour OF whitening heat. in an hour OF
heavy toll, felt az Stonewall jackson
felt in the supreme hour of all, let
us croas over the river and rest IN
the shade of the trees"
Amos n. Draper