THE CONVENTION OF THE BIRDS AND TREES 



BY MARY LEE HAWLEY 



L[TTLE friends, do you think Fathers and Mothers and People decide everything? They say January 

 first is the beginning of the New Year, but long ago the birds called a convention and said it was 

 absurd they would not have it so. You know Mr. Bluejay? Well, he was in the chair and all the 

 lady birds were allowed to speak, for the birds believe in Equal Suffrage. 



TLM ADAME Woodpecker said too many times Mother Nature had come out on January first and looked 

 -L" about, only to sneeze and turn back. She had all she could do to keep her baby buds wrapped 

 and warm until April first. This they all declared was New Year's day and would be forever. January 

 first? Bah! 



rPHE trees held a convention too; and you know they can shiver, bow, beckon and sigh, but they 

 * cannot move about. So in payment for summer quarters, the birds act as their messengers. Each 

 year they select a queen for Arbor Day and there is much excitement about their choice. It is just like 

 your May Day queen, you know. In 1872 a man from Nebraska originated Arbor Day and a million trees 

 were planted that first year. J. Sterling Morton set a great value on trees and he was right. 



THE oldest and largest living thing is a Sequoia tree in California, named for Gen. Sherman. The 

 second oldest and largest grows nearby, and is named for Gen. Grant. The former was a baby sap- 

 ling over 3,000 years ago, when Moses lived. 



CO the trees may well boast, but their queen will not be chosen from these this year, for an awful 

 ^ thing has happened, and since the war, the question will be decided as to who gave the most. 



rp HE big forces of any war, of course, are ammunition and food. Do you know what the third one was 

 * in this? WOOD; and wood means trees. The birds joined the Allies at the beginning to guard the 

 crops that the soldiers should have plenty of wheat, corn, oats, etc. They are so happy to think they 

 helped that they have been earlier than usual this year in flying about as messengers for the trees. Each 

 tree whispers her own reason for thinking she ought to be queen, and if we only understood, we would 

 hear the birds as they go about electioneering. 



THHE Sitka Spruce expects to be chosen this year. She says, "Airplanes won the war. In all the 

 Western Hemisphere, they had to come to this little ribbon of land, beginning in Northern California 

 and continuing through Oregon, Washington, and the islands and mainland of British Columbia." 



HP HE Southern Pine, who has given an average of 4,300,000 feet for each army camp, thinks she has a 

 right to reign as queen. She made it comfortable and sweet for our soldier boys, when they were 

 first taken from their homes. Many birds boost the fruit trees. "For," they say, "do you not remember 

 last year, how the pits were called for, to be used in ammunition? And their fruit filled cans to feed the 

 world? Beside, they are so pretty and entice us to sit in their branches while we watch for the right 

 moment to swoop down on our enemy the chinch hug." 



T) UT listen to the Oak's plea. "We furnished the railroad ties, without which our boys could not have 

 ** been transported and many, many carloads were shipped to France from the Ozarks of Missouri. We 

 also helped to build the ships. 



ITTLE Miss Jenny Wren speaks up for the Maple. "You have not forgotten the sugar shortage and 

 * J how much sweetness the maples give." The Cedars were not to be overlooked. "Think of the pen- 

 cils! The red heart of the cedars went for these." The Buckeye and Cork-Wood from the St. Francis 

 River in Missouri and Arkansas said to put them down for reconstruction work. Wooden legs must take 

 the place of those that were lost. But the wise and solemn old owl, when he waked up and heard the 

 discussion, said "Hush!" 



?? r PHE Black Walnut will be chosen queen, not by the birds and trees, but by the people and the 

 -*- President of the United States. He sent the Boy Scouts out to mark them and they paid the 

 supreme sacrifice. Their wood went into gun-stocks and every soldier carried a gun. With these they 

 defended themselves and defeated the Hun. And because they were carried into the thick of battle; be- 

 cause they are shell-shocked, gassed and too stricken to say a word for themselves, do you not agree, 

 one and all, that this year, the Black walnut should be made the Queen on Arbor Day? 



A ND, agreeing, the birds twittered away with the story, "It is fitting that the Black Walnut shall be 

 ^ the Peace Tree for generations to come." 



