FALL PLANT STUDY. 421 



saw has an axe ; and he is cutting down a tree, a great, tall, pine 

 tree. While we are looking the tree comes down with a crash 1 We 

 do not like to see it. You think it is not right to cut the tree ? We 

 ask the man why lie cut it down. He says he smiles at us ; I 

 think he must have little children, and know how they love the trees, 

 4 That pine tree is happy now ; it is going out into the world to 

 make people happy by being of use to them, by helping them.' 

 When we ask him how that is, he answers, ' There is one from which 

 I have just taken the branches ; when the bark is off it will make 

 something you boys have often seen. What is it ? A mast for a 

 vessel or a flag-pole. It will be happy because it will help to move 

 the boats which carry coal to keep people warm, or grain to feed 

 them. Over there is a pile of pine trees. Their branches have been 

 taken off ; they have been cut into logs, and will soon be hauled to 

 the river. In the spring, when the ice melts, the logs will float down, 

 down for miles until they reach a saw-mill, where they will be cut into 

 boards or beams or shingles, with which to build our houses. How 

 could we get along without these, which the pine tree makes for us. 

 But it could not be a mast to help move our coal and food, or a board 

 to keep out the cold, or a shingle to keep out the rain, if it stayed as 

 a tree here in the forest. It is glad to be made useful.' 



We start for home along another road. What odd little houses 

 those are ! There are some men in front of them dressed like the one 

 who was talking to us. They are called lumbermen, and these are 

 their houses. The houses are long, not very wide, and are made of 

 logs. These men, too, are kind, and invite us to come inside and get 

 warm. We go in, and find one long room with no 'upstairs.' The 

 tables are set ready for dinner. We see they have tin cups and tin 

 plates, and have for dinner, bread and butter, potatoes, pork, beans, 

 molasses, and coffee. All along the walls are shelves, something like 

 the shelves in mamma's pantry at home, but wider. Let us look into 

 this lower one. Why, there are blankets and comfortables and pil- 

 lows on them ; so this must be where the lumbermen sleep. 



We must go outside to make room for the hungry men who are 

 rushing in. We thank them, jump into our sleigh, tuck in the robes, 

 and away we go. Are not these grand trees, as high as our church 

 steeple ? What long trunks, like masts, with branches toward the 

 top. How they meet, and make a roof above us ! It makes me think 

 of a charch, a church that God made. How quiet it is now that 

 the men are not chopping or sawing ! Here we are at the edge of the 

 forest. One look backward, and away we go ! Shall we sing again ? 

 Here we are at home.' 1 



