Sentence:  I sympathize in your resentment against the canonical Dons, who <WSD>stumpify</WSD> the heads of those good green people, beneath whose friendly shade so many of your happiest hours have glided away, — but they defy them; let them stumpify as much as they please, time will repair the mischief, — their verdant arms will again extend, and invite you to their shelter. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To turn into a stump.