136 ARBOR DAY MANUAL. 



Still the mother tells to her children 



As they climb upon her knee, 

 Of the treaty of sixteen eighty-two, 



Beneath the old elm-tree. 



ALL. 



This tree was blown down in 1810, and proved by its rings to be 283 years 

 old. A large part of it was sent to the members of Penn's family, and the 

 remainder was made into boxes, chairs, etc. 



FIFTH CHILD: 



Once when in England's stately halls, 

 A new king wore the royal crown, 

 And one with chains for liberty 



Sailed o'er the sea to Boston town. 



Throughout the land where e'er was heard 



The measured tread of soldiers' feet 

 In all New England's colonies, 



The people's heart, as one heart beat 



And when the haughty leader came, 



Then every slumb'ring patriot woke, 



And they hid Connecticut's charter 

 In the heart of a hollow oak. 



SIXTH CHILD: 



But when old England changed her king 



It was taken from out the tree, 

 And Hartford's Charter Oak became 

 The symbol of liberty. 



ALL: 



The Vice-President's chair at Washington is made from the Charter Oak, 

 which was blown down in 1856. 



SEVENTH CHILD : 



We've all of us heard of the Stamp Act, 



And Boston of 'sixty-five, 

 And the meetings against taxation 



'Neath the old elm then alive. 



And how one August morning, 



On a branch of that tree so green, 

 The effigies of the Governor, 



And old Lord Bute were seen. 



The people crowded around them 



From every part of the town, 

 As they swung from the elm-tree branches 



Till the summer sun went down. 



