Year: 1865

One of the most prominent features of this
country is is live-oak groves. [ have made
frequent reference to them in previous num-
bers of these Notes" and trust l shall be
pardoned for again recurring to the same sub
iect. Keats says,


"A thing of beauty is joy forever"


and it is in the souI-coined philosophy of these
words that I seek my apology for never being
weary of talking of these beautiful trees, writ
ing from the very midst of their great embow-
eriug branches, while the bright sunbeams
glance merriy from their glossy, green leaves,
and curtain my window with a changeful dra-
perry of light and shade [ cannot but feel, even
while wintry vapors still hang over the wide
Savannah, and the ground still wears its Junu-
ary brown, that these giant evergreens possess
a pernnial charm, an ever-during, ever-fascinat-
ing glory. Nor is it difficult while gazing up
on their stately forms to wander in ones mind
back to that imaginative period when each tree
had its tutelaDy faun or dryael and the fairy
folk nightly held their airy revels in every
grove. Indeed so venerable, so patriarchal do
these forest monarchs appear with their great
cloud-like tops, their rugged, storm -defying
stems, their immense sinewy branches and their
flowing drapery of grey moss appearing amid
the green like sprinkled frost upon the head of
age, that ones mind involuntarily seizes upon
the pleasing phantasy that these are beings in
formed with a species Of intelligence, holding
in their oaken hearts the mysteries of ages
past, and gifted by nature with a sort of supe-
riority OF race which makes them kinglv of
their kind. l confess each tree commands my
profound respect, and cannot but cry shame
upon the vandal axe that fain would subvert
their 'ancient, solitary reign" Their beauty
and their age would seem to be enough to de-
fend them from sacriligous hands, but, alas,
these are their only defense. Even the rose
has its armour of thorns, and almost everything
in nature has some sort Of defensive arrange
ment. But not so the emerald d-crowned Titanus
of the forest They are the helpless victims of
the cupidiy and caprice of man.


There are many historical "reminiscences
which cluster around these live-oaks like the
rich fruitage of centuries, and which entitie
them still more to my profound veneration-
Here around these gnarled trunks the swarthy
Indians gathered 10 grave council and Joined
in savage dance and song before these shores
were visited by the white man from beyond
the sea. Beneath these outrageous boughs
the pioneers of the New World planned their
infant States and fastened upon American soil
the foothold of Empire. Screened by the same
leaiy canopy the scarlet-coated Brilons mar
shaled in pompous array against the brave pat
riots who fought our young Republic into
birth. Here too the proud invader quailed
and grew pale as he heard far off in the deep
forest the echoiDg call of Marion's troopers or
saw the distant waving OF Pulaski's plume
And here in 1865 lUe come from the far North.
land TO replant among these majestic oaks the
same starry banner which our fathers SO gal.
antly fought and died for on this soil in 1919
Verify these grand old evergreens haUe his.
tory.


Where the underground has been so cleared
out as to afford prolonged view through the
midst of these trees the vista is most enchant-
ing. Overhead is a thick interlacement Of
enormous boughs, making II eafy couopy so
dense that it casts upon the ground an almost