150 



AROUND AN OLD HOMESTEAD. 



and around their mossy surfaces until they were en- 

 twined within a very network of the woody veins. Or 

 perhaps a seed has fallen into a 

 crevice or onto a little ledge of 

 rock, and has there sent out its 

 roots into the air, and these, reach- 

 ing down toward the moist earth, 

 have encircled the rock, and gripped 

 it, and at last have wrapped about it 

 with all the strength of the years, 

 while the stem of the tree towers 

 above and the rock is completely 

 imprisoned and enfolded within the 

 giant arms. I have known of boys 

 who have placed stones of consider- 

 able dimension in the crotches of 

 trees, some feet from the ground, 

 and then have watched with delight 

 the gradual but none the less firm 

 encroachment of the bark about 

 them as they finally became set in 

 the wood, much to the wonder and 

 astonishment of those not ac- 

 quainted with this mysterious work- 

 ing of Nature. I have known also 

 of others, and these not always so 

 young, who have taken especial de- 

 light in the twisting, or braiding, of 

 two small adjoining saplings with 

 each other, so that they might be- 

 come in the future a veritable mystery among the 

 growths of Nature; and I have seen trees of a good 

 girth which had so been entwined in their youth, and 



TWISTED TREES. 



