A THOUSAND-YEAR PINE 



jumped off one of the lower limbs, and 

 took refuge in a young pine that stood 

 near by. From time to time he came 

 out on the top of the limb nearest to 

 us, and, with a wry face, fierce whis- 

 kers, and violent gestures, directed a 

 torrent of abuse at the axemen who 

 were delivering death-blows to Old 

 Pine. 



The old pine's enormous weight 

 caused him to fall heavily, and he 

 came to earth with tremendous force 

 and struck on an elbow of one of his 

 stocky arms. The force of the fall not 

 only broke the trunk in two, but badly 

 shattered it. The damage to the log 

 was so general that the sawmill-man 

 said it would not pay to saw it into 

 lumber and that it could rot on the 

 spot. 



14 



