Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-25
LAFAYETTE PARK
!. TREE IS CHARMED
GnarIed Chestnut, Resem.
bling Witch, Draws Many
Curious Tourists.
BY GRETCHEN s. SMITH.

Worldly fame Is soon forgottenl Per-
haps less than one out Of every hun
dred, who daily pass the old horse
chestnut In the northwest corner Of
Lafayette Park knows that the tree 10
alleged to be endowed with strange
and mystical powers. inherited from its
ancestor in Hyde Park. London.
The fame of its powers has spread
far beyond the Capitals boundaries,
rounds in the park, was unable to point
out the Ignarled chestnut to tourists
who asked for its identification.
Every Spring they come in dozens"
he said "'Where is the wishing tree?'
Is the query. No one ever showed me
the tree, so cannot answer the ques-
ton"
But old-timers know the tree. and IL
It were necessary, many in the city
could testify to its powers. OF course.
there are as many who would denounce
the old tree as fraud, but there have
always been those devoid Of faith, and
the chestnut will never help those who
come beneath its boughs with in
credulity in their hearts.
The tree was originally planted in
1856 at the time of the unwilling OF the
Jackson statue some accounts say. while
others insist, it was planted in the
aus ~ the blILc tllc pain woo Aoan SN0'
Looks Like Witch.
The tree stands in the far northwest
corner of the park and is surrounded
by other chestnuts. But there Is no
mistaking the wishing tree-its thick,
gnarled trunk looks more like that OF
an apple tree than caessm ,gr,, a tns snd
the ground, resemble the arms OF q
witch. waving to passers-by to stop and
make q wish. It Is said that the proper
way to ask your hearts desire Is TO
stand under the tree, clasp the lower
branch with your hands, cross the
feet, and wish hard, with the flrm be-
lief that the wish will come true. Faith
Il indispensable for the fulnliment 81
q wish. This was voiced by an OLD
colored woman some years ago, VINO
stood under the tree and wished Tor
bicycle. Shortly afterward, while going
home, she picked up an APPARENTLY new
bicycle lamp, which had been dropped
on the street.
"Dere," she exclaimed in disgust, "ef
All had wished hard enough, And
Q gotten de bicycle"
the tree with supernatural powers Is
one which concerns the development OF
the American Beauty rose. George
Bancroft, the historian, had very Ell
ficient and progressive gardener. VINO
one morning reported the finding OF
rare and beautiful rose In the Ban
croft garden. Some time after that, ne
ness for himself, specializing In the de-
yelopment of roses. Bancroft was very
fond of the young man and decided to
present him with clippings OF the new
ro~e which had been discovered In his
e.a-eu. As he fastened across Lafay-
cite Park with Is rose clippings In his
hand, he saw the gardener coming to-
ward him and the two met underneath
the old chestnut tree. AS he handed
croft noticed they were under the wish
ing tree, so, smiling, he said, Il wish
some day YOU may have f1ne brick
house"
Wish Fulfilled.
The wish was fulfilled. The young |
gardener became famous ana wealthy |
through the cultivation Of American
Beauty roses, and he not only acquired
one brick house, but 13-the number OF
the rose clippings presented to him by
Bancroft.
At the time the late King Edward
VII, while yet the Prince OF Wales, Wis
tied the United States, he passed the
wishing tree while walking across the
President Buchanan.
Miss Lane told the prince the legend
Of the tree, whereupon, stopping be-
meath its boughs, the royal visitor ex-
pressed the wish that some day he |
might be king Of England.
It may have been that faith was
lacking in the wish expressed by Archie |
Roosevelt, when as little boy he stood |
beneath the tree and said, "They say
As~s. L. ata bra r xxy&u1 xxYfst
grow some chestnuts once" Many tes-
tify to wishes which have come true, but
no one has yet come forward who can
claim that the tree has ever borne nuts.
Throughout the city, from Capitol
Hill to Georgetown, are old trees whose
history Is as fascinating as the lives OF
the men whose statues may be seen In
the Hall Of Fame. And. as the men
who made American history came from
foreign lands. so did many Of the trees
which now have taken root in American
soil.
On the lawn, east of the west terrace
OF the White House, is a stately oak
which possesses genealogical history:
Many years ago, before Russia had
turned Red. and the Car was consid-
cred mighty among the rulers OF men.
the tomb of washington, at Mount
Vernon, were sent to his imperial
Russian majesty by Charles Sumner,
then Senator from Massachusetts,.
Years later, while American Ambassador
at the Court of ST. Petersburg, E. A.
Hitchcock visited a beautiful estate Of
the Car on Czarina Island, near
Peterhof, and there he found beauti-
full oak tree bearing a tablet with the
inscription:
"Tlie acorn planted here was taken
from an oak which shades the tomb
Of the celebrated and never-to-be-for-
gotten Washington-is presented to His
Imperial Majesty, the Emperor Of all
the Russias, as sign Of the greatest
respect.
BY an American"
Mr.. Hitchcock's visit was during the
Fan of 1898, and he found many
ing handful, he brought them home
with him upon his return and one Of
the oak ssplings which grew from one
of the Russian acorns was planted ON
the White House grounds by President
Roosevelt in 1904.
Walnut Tree Il Ancient.
Not 30 Travelled, but equally as ancient,
a the ancestry Of o walnut tree, which
now grows and hourishes In the yard Of
the Misses Wilson, 1886 Q street. This
tree IA the descendant OF a tree planted
in 1875 by Dr.. James Blake, who came
to Georgetown from Charles County,
Md, and built home on the corner
Of what is now Thirty-first and N
streets. The tree, an English walnut.
dourished despite the fact that the
climate was supposed to be unsutted to
a NNOUNCING the opening Of
~ shoe repairing department for L
u the convenience Of our patrons.