1 60 ARBOR DA Y MANUAL. 



Written for the "ARBOR DAY MANUAL " 



THE TREE OF STATE.* 



DEDICATED TO THE MAPLE. 



T7MBLEM Tree of the Empire State ! 

 \j Thy virtues on this festal day 

 Cheerfully I commemorate, 



And own allegiance to thy sway. 

 Deep-rooted in thy native soil, 

 Field of all my earlier toil, 

 Sepulchre which holds in trust 

 For future time my kindred dust ; 

 Play-ground of my childhood years, 

 Cradle of my loves, dreams, fears, 

 The very dust is dear which creeps 

 About thy roots, and vigil keeps ; 

 And every fiber of thy growth 

 Endeared to me since early youth, 

 Grows dearer still while dreaming where 

 Magnolia blooms fill all the air. 

 ****** 

 I see thee now, before the storm king bending, 



As I have seen thee oft and fled from under, 

 When lightning flashes scarce begun, scarce ending, 

 Their work have told in tones of fiercest thunder; 

 And thou wast beautiful and great, 

 O, Emblem Tree of the Empire State ! 



I see thee now, well rounded, calm and blending 



Shades and touches by deft nature's brush, 

 And o'er the whole the latest sunset lending 



That strange soft something twixt a glow and flush, 

 Which holds entranced. E'en now I wait, 

 Loved Emblem Tree of the Empire State ! 



And lo ! Behold ! Two happy lovers straying 



Draw near; while sympathetic moon beams stealing 

 Athwart their path, their earnestness betraying, 

 And all unconsciously their love revealing, 

 Are shadowed, with the pair who wait 

 'Neath thy dense shade, O Tree of State ! 



E'en merry urchins 'neath thy branches swinging, 



Refresh themselves at thy o'erflowing fountain, 

 And praises loud in childish glee are ringing, 



As one by one thy topmost branches mounting, 

 Each vies with each, O Tree of State ! 

 While echoing hills reiterate. 



* By a vote of those who participated in the Arbor Day exercises of 1889, in New York State, the Maple 

 was chosen as the State Tree. 



