CHAPTER VII. 



JULY. 



WiTHlif a stone's throw of my house there stands a 

 beech tree that dates back to the days of the Indian. At 

 least, I know that it was called by every one in the neigh- 

 borhood " the big beech " in 1770, and so it is safe to 

 claim for it a century prior to the date named ; and the 

 probability is that it has rounded three full centuries. 

 Near it stand two others, each about half the size of the 

 beech, and their interlacing branches give the impression 

 of one enormous tree, at a little distance. Practically, 

 they are one, and in their broad shadow throughout July's 

 sunny days it is more than a comfort to linger — it is a 

 luxury. 



This "brotherhood of venerable trees" stand on, or 

 rather cling to, the face of a steep terrace ; the largest of 

 the three in front. It is a mere step to leap from the 

 ground into the tree, but when you look outward you look 

 also downward, and there are a thicket and forest of small 

 trees fifty feet below, while beyond all are the wide meadow 

 and winding river. It makes one shudder to think of such 

 a tree losing its hold, for the crash would be terrific ; but 

 there is no danger. Trees such as this have roots to cor- 

 respond with their skyward growth. 



A word as to the tree's dimensions. It is eleven feet 

 in circumference, six feet from the ground, and at about 

 this distance start upward the primary divisions,, six enor- 



