[THE TALL PINE.]
A STORY FOR WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY.
BY KATE UPSON CLARK.
"The tall pine" grew upon the backbone of Bald Mountain, a mighty spur of the Green Mountain range, and from nearly every point for miles around the great tree could be seen standing out clear and distinct against the sky, and towering, like Saul, head and shoulders above its brethren.
It happened that upon a certain Fourth of July, years ago, the eloquent orator of the day, in dilating upon the grandeur of his country and her great men, particularly that greatest of all, George Washington, turned, in a sudden fit of inspiration, and pointed to the tall pine.
"As yonder magnificent tree, fellow-citizens," said the grandiloquent speaker, "uplifts itself above all the giants of the surrounding forest, so, friends and fellow-citizens, does the character of George Washington uplift itself above all others upon the page of history."
These words were received with great applause, and the tall pine was ever after known in the neighborhood as "George Washington."
The land upon which "George Washington" stood was owned by a crabbed old farmer named Hardaker. Mr. Hardaker had a contract for supplying the Fitchburg Railroad with wood, and, winter by winter, was gradually stripping his share of Bald Mountain of all its beautiful trees. This made good places to go blackberrying, but hurt the appearance of the hill-side very much. People wondered how Mr. Hardaker could be so "mean" as to cut everything down so, all at once. He did not need the money particularly, and his motive was just "clear greed"—or so the neighbors said.
At last he neared the vicinity of the tall pine; and as February advanced he announced, with a loud laugh at his own wit, that he was going to "celebrate Washington's Birthday by cutting down 'George Washington' himself with his little hatchet."