USA > West Virginia > Webster County > Moccasin tracks and other imprints > Part 11
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"And you are the angler who was here last July ? I see you have changed your fish rod for a gun. It were a great pity that you so-called sportsmen have such cupidity. Why not be content in viewing the beauties of nature and in studying the forms and the habits of God's innocent creatures ? But instead of this, it is just kill, kill, with you. Had you but given a
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small portion of the time and money you have spent in hunting and fishing to the study of amateur photogra- phy, you would now have a collection of pictures you would prize very much. Did you say that you would give five dollars for a photograph of many of the scenes you have looked upon in your outings? Why, certainly you would, and more too. But it is now too late to ob- tain them, for many have been destroyed by man through some one of his many destructive ways.
"I am very sorry to see those little dead squirrels, but I am also very glad that you did not kill any ruffed grouse. It is against the law to kill them at this time, did you say? The average hunter cares but little for the law when he has a chance to kill any kind of game. He usually considers any living animal his lawful prey. Many years ago a pretty little squirrel made his home among my branches. He was so playful and such a gentle little creature that I loved him very dearly. I was awakened one morning by the loud bark- ing of a dog. The squirrel had gone down to yonder walnut tree for his breakfast. He ran to me as fast as he could run, and climbed my trunk to the topmost branches, where he thought that he was safe. Just then a man came up the road carrying a gun. How I trembled for the safety of my little friend! A loud report was heard and the squirrel fell limp and lifeless to the ground. His life-blood dyed the daisies that grew by the road-side a crimson hne. The man ap- peared greatly elated over his triumph and carried the lifeless body away.
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"I have often heard that you were a friend of the birds. Year after year a pair of orioles have suspended their nest from one of my slender twigs and reared their young undisturbed. Cardinal grosbeaks and song sparrows nest in the hemlock and rhododendrons grow- ing along the margin of the brook. I hope parents and teachers will so instruct the boys that they will love and protect the birds. They are not so plentiful as they were when I was a younger tree. You have prob- ably noticed how many fine trees are infested with worms and caterpillars of late years. This is because of the decrease in the number of birds. The girls, true to their finer sensibilities and inclinations, do not harm the birds except in following the relentless hand of fashion. Now, were I a young lady instead of being a tree, I should never wear a little dead bird on my hat. It is tolerating the wanton destruction of God's most beautiful, as well as most useful, created beings in the lower forms of life.
"One beautiful Sunday morning a number of boys who should have been at church came down here. Their attention was soon attracted by the chirp of young birds. They spied the nest and with shouts of antici- pated victory began to throw stones at it, but it was too high for their puny efforts to be of any avail. One of the boys, more reckless and daring than his compan- ions, at once proceeded to climb my trunk with the evil intention of taking the nestlings from their soft. downy cradle that had been so gently rocked by the wind. Before he reached his coveted prize the branch on which he stood suddenly broke, and he fell heavily to the ground. I felt very sorry to see the boy in such
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great pain, but I was surely very glad that he did not get my baby birds. I hope that he learned a very im- portant lesson from his luckless adventure and that he never attempted to rob a bird's nest again.
"You would like to be told something more about the Civil War? Well, I once told you a little comedy about the war, but I will tell you about one of its trage- dies. It was the saddest incident that I witnessed dur- ing that distressing period. Two civilians, dressed in the honorable uniform of Southern soldiers, stopped here with an old man, whose scanty locks were white almost as the driven snow. He had been taken from his mill over on Gauley river in Nicholas county. They had made him give up his boots and had given him a pair of old shoes. They had compelled him to carry them over the many fords of Birch. The water was icy cold, it being late in autumn. I heard him speak of a dear, little boy that had been left on the mill. He feared he would be drowned before his mamma found him. The old man, almost heart-broken, wrung his hands in agony while the tears ran down his emaciated cheeks. He never returned to his home and his loved ones. He died in the land of Dixie, where he was taken, a mar- tyr to sectional strife. A few weeks after a company of Nicholas Home Guards passed this way. I heard one of them say the little boy found his way home. For many and many a cold winter day he anxiously watched for his papa who never returned to greet him. He is now a man and is an influential citizen of Nicholas county. Well, I know this is not a very pleasing story for you or anyone to hear, but it is true, nevertheless.
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I hope that no section of country or class of society will ever again be arrayed against another. Such a sad thing as I have related can only occur in civil strife or warfare. Robert Burns, the Scottish poet. has very truthfully said. 'Man's inhumanity to man makes count- less thousands mourn.'
"There have been many advertisements of patent medicines, tobaccos and political meetings posted on my trunk. Now, I think this is very wrong. Many of the most beautiful rural scenes have been greatly marred by this most pernicious practice. Rocks and trees alike are disfigured. What a shock it must be to a per- son, when viewing some natural object of exquisite beauty with infinite pleasure, to be reminded of the fact that he has that tired feeling, or that he is bilious and should take a certain brand of pills or other nau- seous decoction that in every instance does the patient more harm than good. If such things must be read by a long-suffering people, let bill boards be erected for
such purposes. I have heard that many farmers allow such stuff to be placed on their barns and other farm buildings, but I can scarcely believe that it can be true. I hope the legislature of West Virginia will soon pass a law making it a misdemeanor under a penalty of fine and imprisonment to post notices or advertisements of any kind on rocks and trees along the public highways. in parks, or on private property unless permission from the owner has been obtained.
"Now. I have taken you into my confidence. and I have told you, in my homely way, many interesting
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things. By some persons you have been called a very successful angler and hunter. But you have gained no real pleasure in your murderous pursuits. When you witnessed the death of one of your victims you felt like an actual murderer. You could not witness the dying agonies, and sought solace in some excuse to justify the taking of a life you never can give back again. I am frank in telling you that I consider it a very doubtful compliment to be called successful in the pursuit of any harmless creatures. God in his infinite wisdom made them all, and their indiscriminate slaughter by man is wrong. You should not again be guilty of such wan- ton destruction of life as you have in the past."
The hunter was aroused from his reverie by the rather harsh tone in which these last words were spoken, and feeling guilty of the charge, he picked up the dead squirrels and half wished that he could restore them alive to their forest home. As he slowly traveled in the direction of home his thoughts were of a sadder cast, than they were when he so joyously went to the woods that beautiful autumnal morning.
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Number III.
When we have been attracted to any one of the great objects of inanimate nature it is but little wonder that we desire to pass some time in its presence indulging in pleasing reveries, or spending the time in contemplat- ing its beauties. We never grow tired of it. While in its presence there is a restfulness that comes upon one that is akin to sleep, and a tranquility that gives a respite from the harassing cares of the daily routine of life. To some persons this object is a flower; to oth- ers a rock, a tree, a river, or a mountain, and yet to others it is each of these combined in one grand pano- rama of nature.
To me, the most beautiful thing below the animal kingdom, is a tree. In its majesty as it towers towards the sky, it seems to possess some of the qualities be- longing to the human family, yet it defies the storms of a thousand winters: its branches assume an upright position to be the more able to overcome gravitation. If its branches are broken by the wind, the damage is quickly repaired and a scar only remains as a reminder of adversity. Trees have inspired the prose writer as well as the poet. They have played a very conspicuous part in the history of the United States. These historic trees can be found scattered throughout the length and breadth of the land. Bryant tells us that the groves were God's first temples. It was there that man first lifted up his heart in praise to his Creator before the building of churches, cathedrals, or temples. The oak tree was sacred to the Druids, the ancient inhabitants of Great Britain.
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It has not been many weeks since the erstwhile an- gler and hunter was in the vicinity of the Skyles Oak, and he again rested beneath its sheltering branches. The western breeze, the babbling brook, and the inces- sant hum of the autumnal insects invited repose. The tree spoke to him in its former tone, and with its usual alacrity, but in a somewhat sadder vein. This sadness might have been because of the near approach of win- ter or the loss of some of its leaves.
"Well, I have told you on two former occasions some of the most interesting things that have come under my observation. I was here when the first settlement was made in this valley. I have seen the old pioneer dressed in homespun clothes pass away and his son wearing tailor-made clothes succeed him. I have seen the children go by here on their way to school. It glad- dens the heart of any one to see them care-free, and to hear them talking so artlessly of the burdens of life that lay so lightly upon their shoulders. This is as it should be for them. They will be rudely awakened to the stern realities of life soon enough. Let them en- joy life before its burdens become heavy.
"Many children of the neighborhood have come here to play in my shade and to build castles out of the sand in the road and along the brookside. I remem- ber one little girl with sparkling blue eyes and raven hair who used to gather acorns in her apron and play at hide-and-seek with the boys and girls of her own age. Her smile was like the sunshine and her laughter was
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as musical as the ripple of the brook or the carol of the birds among my branches. The same Being that had formed the one had created the others also. Well do I remember seeing her start on her first morning to school to the Four Oaks. She often brought her books over here and prepared her lessons when she had grown older. She was always kind and gentle, and she had many friends. I saw her go away one autumn day and I afterwards learned that she was teaching school. I watched from day to day for her home coming. When she did come home, over there where you can see the two black pines in front of the house, she did not come to see me because the snow lay deep on the ground. On Sunday evening she left the home of her childhood never again to visit it. One cold winter day I saw a sad throng slowly and sorrowfully coming down the road bringing the body of my once little favorite. All that was mortal of her was laid to rest on yonder hill, where the violets and daisies deck her last resting place each returning spring. 'Thus the young and lovely pass away.' Many children have played here since then, but I can never forget the little fairy-like girl who vis- ited me so often. The snows of twenty-two winters have covered her grave. This mantle of snow is a very be- fitting emblem of her pure and unselfish life.
*
"It has been extremely painful for me to witness the many cruelties practiced upon the horses that have been driven or ridden past here. Many horses are afraid to venture upon the ice that often covers the brook in winter, and whip and spur are used without
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mercy. I have seen many teams overloaded, and be- cause the heavy load could not be moved up the steep bank on the opposite side of the brook, the horses were cruelly beaten by the ignorant drivers. A few months ago a very fine span of horses hitched to a wagon loaded heavily with lumber crossed the brook, but they could not move it up the bank on the other side. The leader was a beautiful bay, with sleek, glossy hair. The poor creatures time after time did their very best, but still the wagon did not move. The driver plied his whip with a heavy hand, and used the customary pro- fane language, but neither availed anything. The horses had become confused and could not pull to- gether and the wagon rolled back into the brook. The usual crowd collected. Each man offered a plan as the best method of procedure. At this time a very benevo- lent looking old gentleman came down the road and stopped to inquire as to why so many men and boys had collected by the roadside. Upon learning the trouble. he spoke kindly to the horses and stroked the neck of the leader. The intelligent animal rubbed his head against the old man's shoulder. After adjusting the harness on each of the horses he took up the lines, but not the whip, and spoke to them in a voice that indi- cated that the trouble had been removed. The horses pulled with a will; the wheels began to turn, and the load was easily landed at the top of the bank.
This was an object lesson not soon to be forgotten. The horses felt that their driver did not give them fair treatment and they could not act in concert. When they had been spoken to kindly they felt like showing
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their appreciation and the wagon moved along. Socie- ties for the prevention of cruelty to animals have done and are doing a noble work. It is to be hoped that branch societies will be founded in every county of West Virginia.
"I see you have neither rod nor gun with you. I hope you will begin the study of nature with a camera instead of such deadly weapons as you have been accus- tomed to use on your outings. When you get in close touch with the squirrels, the grouse, and the quail, they become so interesting that you have no desire to kill them. They become a part of the great world of beauty that is spread around you, and, when they are gone there is nothing so interesting in nature to take their place. Can you imagine what a dreary place this world would be if there were no wild animal life? This will be the condition a few years from now if restrictive measures are not soon put in force.
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"It has been more than one hundred years since the first party of surveyors was here. The leader of the crew was a man by the name of Skyles, who was a son of the noted surveyor of Kanawha county. He sur- veyed a tract of land lying near the mouth of the brook that was later called Skyles creek. The space of a cen- tury means much in the life history of the individuals composing a nation, but it means but little in the his- tory of a forest tree. Before the blighting hand of the lumberman had smitten the forests of Birch river many stately poplar trees, whose life history embraced
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more than seven centuries, graced its banks. These grand old landmarks of the remote past have all been cut down and the logs floated to Charleston, or left to decay along the banks of the streams."
The latter part of this discourse awakened in the listener a feeling of sadness, because it brought back to his mind the days of his youth, when he rambled care- free through the woods on his father's farm admiring the majestic beauty of the forest giants. He waited for a continuation of the discourse, but the voice was stilled. The breeze had died away and the sun having long since crossed the meridian, the listener hastened homeward musing on the mutability of time.
RE-
INFLUENCE OF THE CHRISTIAN LIGION ON CIVILIZATION.
The untaught mind of men in all ages and in all countries has tried to discover the source of life and the dispenser of happiness among the people of the world. This has given rise to many different systems of religion, and each has had a marked effect upon the destiny of nations and the lives of individuals. The fol- lowers of Zoroaster believe that their highest religious duty is to destroy all harmful animals and noxious weeds. The Egyptian mothers, in an agony of grief, threw their babies into the Nile to be devoured by the hideous crocodiles because they had been taught that this was the most effectual way of gaining divine favor.
The devotees of other religions tried to make them- selves just as miserable as possible in this life because they thought that was the means by which they could gain celestial happiness in the next. The followers of Confucius pay divine homage to their ancestors because they have been taught that by so doing they can obtain eternal happiness.
The Jewish priests sacrificed lambs and doves be- cause they thought that Jehovah was pleased by the shedding of blood on the sacrificial altar.
The Aztecs of Mexico sacrificed their handsomest boys and most beautiful girls because they thought that to be the only way in which they could again bring themselves into the favor of an offended Deity.
But the religion that has had the most powerful ef- fect, and has been the most potent factor in the world for good. is the one that was established by the meek and lowly Jesus-the Christ-child born in Bethlehem
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of Judea more than nineteen hundred years ago. By him a new religión was given to mankind in which the two principal tenets are, love to God, the Creator, and love to man, our fellow being. This is a revealed religion based upon the prophetic revelations of such men as Samuel, Isaiah, Elijah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and many other holy men of the Hebrew nation. This re- ligion in the beginning was taught by Jesus, assisted by the disciples and apostles. The idea of a Supreme God being omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, was but imperfectly understood at that time. This religion is the one governing the conduct of all civi- lized nations of to-day and the one upon which all of their public institutions are based. The great mission- ary zeal of the Christians has caused to be erected a cross, the emblem of their faith, among the most re- mote people on the globe. These people have been in- structed in the principles of moral and religious recti- tude that are elevating in their tendency and in conse- quence civilization and learning have been dissem- inated.
The Christian religion is based upon the very ele- ments of civilization. It aims for a higher and purer life: for the administration of justice between man and man. It is the basis of modern society, and it of- fers to those who sucessfully run the race of life in harmony. with certain prescribed rules a crown of ever- lasting glory, and to those who fail to honor their Cre- ator eternal banishment from His presence.
Non-civilization is the lack of the proper organiza- tion of society on the principles of right and justice. It is that state of existence in which the people are
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steeped in ignorance and superstition and in which they have no proper conception of either right or wrong. The Christian religion, by being the basis of society, is a most potent factor in civilization because it teaches the sacredness of the marriage vow and filial affection. It teaches obedience to law and government. It also teaches one's duty to those in unfortunate circumstances, all of which elevate and ennoble man- kind.
The first nation to embrace the Christian religion was the Roman Empire. Many barbaric peoples with whom the Romans came in contact gladly received their missionaries and were enrolled as members of the church when baptized. They also accepted their laws, manners and customs that had come from Egypt, As- syria, Babylonia, Phoenecia, Greece and many other countries.
This civilization and culture was passed to England, Spain, Holland, Germany, Sweden and France through the medium of Christianity. From these countries it came to America, where it has borne its choicest fruit.
It is to this religion that we of to-day owe our great- est debt of gratitude for our boasted civilization in the United States, the land over which the Stars and Stripes, designed by Betsy Ross, waves so triumph- antly.
The Mohammedan religion, founded by Mohammed about thirteen hundred years ago, has cast a blight over every country in which it has been established, because its founder told his followers to plant the Moslem faith by the arbitrament of the sword where necessary. What a contrast is this with the Christian religion founded
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by Jesus, who told his followers if smitten on one cheek to turn the other also. The angels at the nativity of Christ sang an anthem, the burden of which was, "Peace on earth and good will to all men." This should be the slogan of Christ's followers to-day. They should not force their religion on any nation, but by their upright conduct prove to the world that the Christian religion is a reality and not a cloak to be worn for the purpose of gaining popularity.
The Christian religion teaches the universal broth- erhood of mankind and the equality of all men in the sight of God, whether high or low, rich or poor, learned or unlearned. if they but obey His commands. This religion pleaded effectually for the abolition of the slave and the serf, although St. Paul said that the re- ligion of Jesus did not change the condition or rela- tion of the slave and his master. This meant obedience to the laws under which one lives. It prepared the way for the introduction of art, literature and culture from Rome among the barbaric nations of Western Europe, and exerted a powerful influence in the fusion of the Latin and Teutonic peoples, which has been such a power in modern civilization. The Crusades, which were religious wars carried on in behalf of Christianity, and which were contrary to its teachings, gave great momentum to civilization. It did not mat- ter in the least whether the Holy Sepulcher, that had been the resting place of the body of Jesus, was in the possession of the infidel Turks, who were the followers of Mohammed, or under the dominion of the Chris- tians. But "God moves in a mysterious way," and much good resulted therefrom, although the lives of vast mul-
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titudes of deluded people were sacrificed. The surviv- ors, on their return to their homes in Western Europe, brought back with them treasures of learning and classical literature-the fruits of past centuries of hu- man endeavor. This awakened among the people of the different countries to which the Crusaders returned an intellectual activity, which finally resulted in the great outbreak known as the Revival of Learning. These holy wars helped to break down the long established Feudal Aristocracy and gave prominence to kings and people; they checked the advance of the Turks from Asia and Africa for three centuries, and preserved the existence of Constantinople to the Christians, and thus gave to the young and rising civilization of Western Europe time to gain the strength necesary to defeat the Moslem hordes when they invaded Europe in the fifteenth century.
The literature of Christian nations, based upon the Bible, has had an elevating effect on the minds of men. The Bible, especially that part of it called the New Testament, has become the guide for the majority of all the people in all civilized nations, and its influence for good is recognized by those who do not follow its teachings. Milton's "Paradise Lost." Bunyan's "Pil- grim's Progress" and Bryant's "Thanatopsis" are recog- nized classics in the English language. Each of these was inspired in the minds of the author by meditating on the life, death, and resurrection of Christ and the great plan of human redemption. The reading of these productions make better men and nobler women. Paint- ing and sculpture have been greatly enriched by persons who have taken their subjects from the Bible.
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This religion is destined to march onward in its course until all nations and peoples recognize its merits.
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