The Charter Oak 



ing-house were suddenly "snuffed out." Outside, 

 many people were waiting. They began to shout 

 loudly, and several entered the room where the 

 meeting was being held. Among them was 

 Captain Joseph Wadsworth, a brave and clever 

 man. In the darkness and confusion he picked 

 up the charter unseen, carried it away, and hid 

 it in the hollow trunk of an old oak in the out- 

 skirts of the town. 



In the meeting-house the candles were pres- 

 ently lighted again, and all became quiet. Gov- 

 ernor Andros looked about him. There was no 

 charter to be seen. He demanded that it be given 

 up to him at once. But no one there could, or 

 would, tell of its hiding-place. The angry gover- 

 nor was finally obliged to leave without it. 



Long before this, the same oak had been the 

 Peace Tree of the Suckiaug Indians. The acorn 

 was their sacred totem, and under this tree they 

 held their councils. At the foot of the tree their 

 war hatchets were buried. Under its branches 

 they smoked the pipe of peace. 



This giant of the forest was fully twenty-five 

 feet in circumference. At the time of the charter 

 incident the hollow in its great trunk was large 



