The Rescue of an Old Place 



The fore tt 

 cUdusk. 



TluDirtc- 

 ter look* 



Night was falling, the air was chill, the 

 murmur of the leaves far above was barely 

 audible ; the impression was indescribably 

 solemn and church-like, as if the aisles of 

 some great cathedral were there stretch- 

 ing away into the shadowy distance, full 

 of mystery. 



Stately and strong the old trees stood, 

 as if they might be as eternal as the rocks 

 and hill, and beautiful they were in their 

 silent majesty, uplifting their venerable 

 heads to the gray evening sky which had 

 domed over them for centuries. 



On an opposite hill a grove of young 

 evergreens was springing up. 



"That, too, will be fine in a hundred 

 years," said the Director, as we passed out 

 of the great gate ; and, with a thought of 

 my baby forest at home which, perhaps, 

 in a century or two, may be worth while, 

 I went away grave but rejoicing, for I had 

 seen a noble sight. 



164 



