78 THE ROMANCE OF EVERIFARM 



of the old sycamore tree, then joyously returning for 

 dinner with a long string of catfish, pike, and bass. 



"Other years followed. The first and second 

 generations had passed to their reward. The third 

 generation is now in active control of the big farm 

 and has been very energetic in beautifying the road- 

 ways and creating a permanent pavement that you 

 see. When this wonderful pavement was con- 

 structed I felt sure that I was going to lose my life 

 and, had it not been for this man of the third 

 generation, I would not be here to-day. The men 

 in charge of the work insisted that I be removed 

 from the center of the road, but my friend said that 

 so long as he lived on that farm enough men could 

 not be crowded around that tree to take it out. 

 However, he said that if they would leave me he 

 would build a double roadway around me, creating 

 an island which he would plant to beautiful shrubs, 

 and that he would also beautify the entire roadway 

 for a mile in length. This has been done, as you 

 see, and has resulted in making one of the beauty 

 spots of the entire country. 



"Look there, young fellow," called Big Hackberry 

 to the young tree just planted, as this man of the 

 third generation, his wife, and the three children 

 came strolling across the pavement to the beautiful 



