Rogers THE GOSSIP OF THE TREES 237 



good deal of care, and have to be sprayed and pruned every year, 

 but first they dress up for the Spring Festival, the Pears in lacy 

 white, and the Apples in what I consider the pinnacle of beauty 

 because they add the most delicious fragrance to their exquisite 

 pink and white blossoms and trim their loaded branches with 

 clusters of rosy buds, and then in the fall they make another 

 show for the Autumn Festival, with their beautiful fruit! It's 

 all very well to be refined and to feed the bees and butterflies, 

 but give me the friend of Man for my choice!" 



"I quite agree with you," said the Elm politely, anxious to 

 mollify the ruffled lady, "and I certainly meant no disrespect 

 to those truly noble families. Of course, Miss Redbud was only 

 brought up to be ornamental, and I sometimes think she must 

 be a little lonesome, so far away from her native place." 



"That's true!" agreed Mrs. Maple, instantly melted when her 

 warm sympathetic nature was appealed to. "She does deserve 

 credit for doing the best she can, and I must say she never shirks." 



"Old Grandfather Oak looks pretty stalwart this year, doesn't 

 he!" remarked the Elm, willing to change the subject to less 

 controversial ground. "Cur Family are very fond of him, and 

 he stands by the House in spite of all the operations that he has 

 been through. "Why! he's been half hollowed out and filled in 

 with iron braces and rocks and cement, and still he grows, and 

 his head is as good as ever!" 



"Yes," said his neighbor, "it's certainly a pleasure and a priv- 

 ilege to be in the same company with him. ! He gives dignity to 

 the whole place! I believe no one knows how old he is, and the 

 former Owner of the place told our Gentleman that when he was 

 a boy, Grandpa looked just the same! I'm glad our Family 

 are so fond of Trees. They have the Surgeon come whenever 

 one of us begins to get run down or has an accident, and he works 

 over us and saves our lives. Our Young Gentleman took care of 

 our old friend Smoke tree, though, himself. Do you remember 

 that bad storm one winter, when one whole big limb was broken off ? 

 We thought that would be his finish, but a little careful cutting 

 and a coat of tar paint healed the wound entirely, and now he looks 

 like a young Bush with a lot of healthy new sprouts coming up 

 from the roots." 



"Hello, friends," called out the wild Dogwood gaily, "just 

 you wait till I get dressed, and I'll show you some style!" 



