CHAPTER TWENTY 



HOW OUR GOVERNMENT IS HELPING TO SAVE THE 

 FORESTS 



As long as the forest shall live, 

 The streams shall flow onward, still singing 

 Sweet songs of the woodland, and bringing 



The bright, living waters that give 

 New life to all mortals who thirst. 

 But the races of men sh^U be cursed. 



Yea, the hour of destruction shall come 



To the children of men in that day 



When the forest shall pass away ^ 

 When the low woodland voices are dumb ; 



And death's devastation and dearth 



Shall be spread, o'er the face of the earth. 



Avenging the death of the wood. 



The turbulent streams shall outpour 



Their vials of wrath, and no more 

 Shall their banks hold back the high flood, 



Which shall rush o'er the harvests of men ; 



As swiftly receding again. 



Lo ! after the flood shall be dearth, 



And the rain no longer shall fall 



On the parching fields ; and a pall, 

 As of ashes, shall cover the earth ; 



And dust-clouds shall darken the sky; 



And the deep water wells shaU be dry. 



And the rivers shall sink in the ground. 

 And every man cover his mouth 

 From the thickening dust, in that drouth ; 

 Fierce famine shall come ; and no sound 

 Shall be borne on the desolate air. 

 But a murmur of death and despair. 



Alexander Blair Thaw, 

 The Passing of the Forest; in Century Magazine, June, 1907 

 130 



