OUR BROTHERS, THE TREES 



Miss Melancholy Willow, too, one would 

 rather call upon than visit, though one must 

 admire the subtle adaptation of her flowing 

 draperies to the rhythmic brooks of which 

 she is the tutelar divinity, as her roots are of 

 their banks. 



Again, strangely duplicating the excesses 

 of the human race, some trees, like the horse- 

 chestnut, forbid any close intimacy because 

 of their aromatic intemperance. On the 

 other hand, the pine, balsam, spruce, hem- 

 lock, larch, and linden observe that nice dis- 

 crimination between the little more and the 

 little less, and fetter us by one more sense 

 than can the tree without fragrance. Other 

 trees, with long pendant branches, seem to 

 invite us to come and be cuddled, while 

 others, like the prim and reserved bald 

 cypress, as plainly hold us at a distance. The 

 proportion of such trees, however, is rela- 

 tively small, and it is a pity that mankind 

 has not accepted nature's decree on this 

 point; but, in addition to trees which were 

 born prim, others have had primness thrust 

 upon them by the landscape gardeners. 



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