A PLEA FOR THE TREES. 



ANNE WAKELY JACKSON. 



lyyT UCH has been written, and more 

 |Y\ has been said, in regard to the 

 X 1. "prevention of cruelty to chil 

 dren," and the "prevention of 

 cruelty to animals;" but has anyone 

 ever urged upon the public the pre 

 vention of cruelty to trees? 



It is time someone did, for people 

 nowadays seem to have no regard 

 whatever for a tree's feelings, but saw 

 and hack a limb off here or there at 

 any season of the year the notion hap 

 pens to seize them, and leave the poor 

 thing maimed and disfigured, and per 

 haps pouring out its life-blood from 

 the ugly wound. 



If you are insensible to the beauty, 

 the blessing and benignity of trees, 

 there is no use in appealing to you. 

 But surely you are not! Surely you 

 can call to mind some old tree that 

 brings up memories of the past, and 

 appeals to you with almost human ten 

 derness! 



Then, for the sake of these old, tried, 

 and well-beloved friends, look with 

 compassion upon all trees, and discour 

 age those who would spoil and disfig- 

 ure them. 



Have you ever thought how sad a 

 tree must feel when it is transplanted 

 from the forest to the city or town? 

 How it must miss its tall and stalwart 

 companions the shy woodland birds, 

 and the flowers that spring up around 

 it each year! The parting from them 

 all is bad enough, but there is worse to 

 come. It little dreams of the hideous 

 and deforming "trimming" that will 

 begin as soon as it commences to 

 spread its tiny branches! Poor little 



tree! I wonder it does not die of grief 

 and pain! 



Doubtless, it sighs and sobs out its 

 longing for the old free home, in the 

 ears of the passing wind, though we 

 are too dull to understand its murmur 

 ing voice. 



If the wind is in a good humor, he 

 caresses it gently, and tries to comfort 

 it; but sometimes he is angry, and 

 then he shakes the poor tree fiercely. 

 But it loves him always, whether he is 

 gentle or rough. 



I suppose it is sometimes necessary 

 to trim trees. I hear people say so. 

 But I think a tree of beautiful and per 

 fect shape is more desirable than the 

 little patch of lawn that might be 

 gained by "trimming it up." 



Ought not one to consider, and care 

 fully study the tree, as a whole, before 

 venturing to remove any of its branches? 

 To examine it from every point of 

 view? Above all, if your trees must be 

 trimmed, see about it yourself,&n& don't 

 trust them to the ruthless hands of 

 people insensible to beauty those to 

 whom a tree is only so much wood! 

 And be very sure your "cause" is "jus 

 tifiable" before you allow them to be 

 touched. 



Remember that the finest trees are 

 of slow growth; and if ever you are 

 tempted to cut down a really fine one, 

 just stop a moment and reflect that it 

 may take half a lifetime to replace it. 



If these people who have a mania 

 for cutting down trees could but be 

 persuaded to plant a new one for every 

 old one they sacrifice, what a blessing 

 it would be to future generations! 



Then as a little helpless, innocent bird, 

 That has but one plain passage of few 



notes, 

 Will sing the simple passage o'er and 



o'er 



For all an April morning, till ear 

 Wearies to hear it. Tennyson. 



The sycophant succeeds where the 

 self-respecting man fails, yet the for 

 mer is despised and the latter revered. 

 The first is happy if he secure the favor 

 of the great; the latter is content if 

 he can secure that of himself. Charles 

 Churchill Marble. 



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