THE KNOT HOLE’S STORY 
The next year the bark grew smoothly over the place 
where the limb had been. Other years followed, and 
layer after layer of wood growth took its place over the 
old wound. No one examining the tree could have told 
that any unusual thing had happened beneath this spot. 
But in the course of time the tree was cut down by the 
lumberman. Far toward the center of its trunk was found 
a strange, cross-grained spot that marred the lumber 
that was cut from it. The saw snarled angrily as it struck 
this spot. It showed darkly on the surface of a board. It 
might even fall out and leave a hole. It was what was 
left of the broken limb that the tree pinched off and 
healed over half a century before. 
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