Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-05-23
Under the Green
1Uood Tree
By Kate Louise Brown

~ NAV IoN'oV III O~Us
"Remarkable.' said Herbert Ashton
resting his elbows on the top fence
rail, ard looking over into the COLDER
green lights of the little wood.
Yes said his companion, Arthu
Powers, you seldom see an acre O
woodland squeezed in between tw
tenement houses in the very heart o
a great city"
II cant imagine how it has RENAME,
so long. but my uncle was eccentric
had fancy about it,
/ What are your plans, Arthur"
oh. I'll clear it away and build
model Observation-Disclosures of al
modern improvements"
PITY for that greenery to go!"
Yes, l naturally hate to cut dowr
trees-my Welsh blood protests, sup
pose-but such thing is bound t.
come in a growing city. I'll builc
some good houses and make money OF
1T. too. What's that?' as loud sol
startled them, very near.
A child's face with big, angry eyes
glowered from the underbrush.
Il came into get vi-vi-vi-olets,
stammered the little one. There's
lots of 'em near the brook. We always
get 'em here an other things, an il
you chop the trees down there won't
be any moore violets-and Miss Doug
las will feel mad! Oh! OH
Who is the world is Miss Douglass
asked the young man.
She's our teacher and she's just as
sweet! She teaches us all about flow.
ers n trees n pollywogs n things, n
we come here for our specimens, n
If you chop down the trees we won't
have any more woc 5 or anything
Arthur looked at his friend in per-
plexity, for child's distress moved
him more than any grown-up's woe.
But just think" he said coaxingly,
think of beautiful house with large,
clean, sunny rooms. for ever SO many
children to be happy I'M"
TOO many houses now!" replied the
maiden, passionately. 'N the more
children you have, the less room there
is to play in. Oh, dear! Oh, dear!"
She crawled under the fence and
moved slowly up the street, her hand
up to her eye but still clasping her
flowers carefully.
Arthur and his friend leaped the
fence to explore the little domain
That's fine oak" said Herbert,
pointing to giant specimen almost in
the centre.
Yes agreed Arthur. looking up
through the tracery of tender, rosy
young leaflets, quite as fine for an
oak as any beech in Birnam wood is
a model for all beeches.'
A piece of bark landed on his nose,
and a saucy chatter sounded overhead.
Actually squirrels here, too he ad-
died.
There's good elm remarked Her
bert, ''or it would be II it had more
room. Thin out one-third of this un.
dergrowth and you'll have as fine q
piece of woodland as heart could wish.
Now If this were near Llangollen
Lodge you wouldn't hesitate to pre-
serve it."
This is different said Arthur you
don't seriously advise me to let this
valuable property lie waste-a recep
tacle for old shoes and tomato cans,
the happy hunting ground of the fes-
tive goat
shoe challenged Herbert; "but do
notice children's play houses in the
corners, and the branches are neither
broken nor hacked off,"
You're a dangerous enthusiast"
laughed Arthur. Everything comes
to you in relation with your Boys clubs
or society for the suppression of
something or other. You never enter
my house but l feel you are think
ing, What glorious place for a va
cation-house for shop girls. I'm afraid
of you, and once let me yield to your
spell, I'm a lost man. l do want just
a few things for myself"
Hope Douglass heart sank when
Polly Marvel came crying into school
with the sad news. She did her best
to comfort the children, reminding
them how long they had enjoyed such
an unusual privilege. But every day
the sense of coming loss was pressed
the velvety baby leaves on the oak,
some little tot would say mournfully,
mo more lovely acorn cups and sauc-
ers," followed by another lament, mo
more pollywogs after this year"
Hope tried to plan future excursions
into the parks, but nothing seemed
so pleasant as their own little green
wood bower so close at hand.
One day a stranger dropped into
Gresham school. He gave no name,
but strolled about saying little yet evil
IDENTIFY immensely entertained.
"A superintendent let loose" was
the thought of the teachers: they were
accustomed to such visits.
when l went to school," he medi-
tated, 81 made spit-balls or imprisoned
flies in paper boxes. Now these ur-
chins are really watching pollywogs
and turtles He noticed the clearly
defined nature work from grade to
grade-a few points we'll impressed,
and constant observation by the pupils
Of the flowers or animal-life selected.
He noticed also that the poets had
been called Upon to illustrate each
subject with their noblest specimens
Of verse.
The visitor said little, only smiled
and stroked his mustache. But his
keen blue eyes were not unfriendly.