THE OLD CHESTNUT TREE.
I would we might hear thy story,
Thou beautiful Chestnut tree!
Methinks 'twould be worth the hearing,
As every lesson should be.
Thou beautiful Chestnut tree!
Methinks 'twould be worth the hearing,
As every lesson should be.
For certain it is thou wert planted
By none but the hand divine;
As carefully watered and guarded,
Where softly the sunbeams shine.
By none but the hand divine;
As carefully watered and guarded,
Where softly the sunbeams shine.
Perhaps thou wert one of a forest
That grew in wonderful pride,
For the Oak was tall and stately
That flourished at thy side,
That grew in wonderful pride,
For the Oak was tall and stately
That flourished at thy side,
And yet, when the winds of autumn
Swept over the lonely bill,
They snapt it, and tossed the branches
About with furious will.
Swept over the lonely bill,
They snapt it, and tossed the branches
About with furious will.
But thou hast past, in thy grandeur,
Through tempest so bravely born,
That though thou art wrinkled and rugged
There's none of thy beauty shorn.
Through tempest so bravely born,
That though thou art wrinkled and rugged
There's none of thy beauty shorn.
And we can but think of the changes,
So wonderful all around,
Since thou wert a tiny leaflet,
Just bursting from out the ground.
So wonderful all around,
Since thou wert a tiny leaflet,
Just bursting from out the ground.
How fierce and bitter the conflicts,
That seemed as never to cease!
How precious the blood that purchased
Our country's enduring peace!
That seemed as never to cease!
How precious the blood that purchased
Our country's enduring peace!
For all of these homes about thee,
And many gone to decay,
Have risen to their existence
Since first was begun thy day.
And many gone to decay,
Have risen to their existence
Since first was begun thy day.
Perhaps the red man of the forest
Here planned his sway to increase,
And when the rude battle was over
'Twas here smoked the pipe of peace.
Here planned his sway to increase,
And when the rude battle was over
'Twas here smoked the pipe of peace.
And maybe he taught his children
Here first how to use the bow,
And watched with delight as he saw them
The beautiful deer laying low.
Here first how to use the bow,
And watched with delight as he saw them
The beautiful deer laying low.
Perhaps the wild beasts in their prowling
A covert sought in thy shade;
Fierce birds too have swept from thy branches,
And furious onslaught made.
A covert sought in thy shade;
Fierce birds too have swept from thy branches,
And furious onslaught made.
The honey bee here found a dwelling,
And stored abundance of sweet;
And squirrels too here had a resting—
A quiet and safe retreat.
And stored abundance of sweet;
And squirrels too here had a resting—
A quiet and safe retreat.
And songsters their notes have warbled
From out thy leafiest screen,
And children around thee have sported
As gaily as ever was seen.
From out thy leafiest screen,
And children around thee have sported
As gaily as ever was seen.
For gathering nuts was a pastime
Of which none ever could tire,
And every autumn brought them
Fulfilment of their desire.
Of which none ever could tire,
And every autumn brought them
Fulfilment of their desire.
Now all this picture is ended
By hurry and work anew;
But thou art a gift of Nature,
That many delight to view.
By hurry and work anew;
But thou art a gift of Nature,
That many delight to view.