THE DEATH OF THE FOREST 369 



All that is left for this region to do is wood forest reserves, which, under 



to make the most of the remnant of its wise administration, may make up in 



forests, and to urge upon the Govern- some measure for the reckless timber 



ment the absolute necessity of estab- destruction in the past at the hands of 



lishing, upon less valuable lands, hard- private owners. 



THE DEATH OF THE FOREST 



By LILLIAN H, SHUEY 



XHE fiat went forth from the spoilers — 



The myrmidon sons of men — 

 That the forest, the warder of rivers, 



Should pass from the valley and glen ; 

 The forest, embracing the passes, 



Where the drifting sea-clouds bide, 

 Should lie as low as the heather — 



Should die on the mountain side. 



And the murmuring groves on the ridges 



Heard in the morning still 

 The ax-blows resounding, repeating 



The rumble and roar of the mill. 

 The vast forest mourned to the brooklets : 



"Beloved, the hour has come. 

 The Day God will drink at thy spring-pools, 



And the voice of thy music be dumb. 



"No more wilt thou well to the valleys 



Where children are glad and sweet. 

 No more wilt thou mirror their faces. 



And ripple around their feet. 

 Farewell ! lovely streams, overflowing, 



The grasses thou lovest will fail ; 

 No more wilt thou gleam for the homestead, 



The orange and peach in the vale." 



The birds flew far and were silent. 



The west wind sobbed in pain. 

 And bore in the eve her teardrops 



To the barley blooms on the plain. 

 The forest stood, lofty, majestic — 



The redwood, and cedar, and pine — 

 The forest, preserver of nations, 



The crown of God's great design. 



But the deed was done in its madness. 



And the wind-swept mountains bare 

 Grieve for the cool, sweet bowers 



And the kiss of raindrops there. 

 Men in the parching plain-lands 



Their long rain prayers avow. 

 But the bread and the wine are taken. 



And God does not answer now. 



— Western World 



