Show 3 ft r ROW POW or oF POPLAR TREES IN the southeastern part of the city there are two long lines of silver poplars poplars poplars pop pop- lars one on each edge of the walk side-walk and thus they make a regular shaded avenue and form a handsome ornament f for that particular block i They are tall and regular in their outline outline outline out out- line glossy green leaves lined with i f. f silvery green The branches which r grow upward and straight are so flexible i that at ev every ry passing breeze the aspect of the trees change and this gives to I f them an almost human look To watch r- r this his av avenue nue of poplars on a windy dayis dayI day I is IS an unceasing amusement Let us watch for a little while one of these rows What a handsome row it itis itis If- If is A A playful wind springs up Is it t merely a row of poplars No surely it itis F r is a row of gossipy old ladies their green hands held up in great as astonishment over some especially lly in interesting interesting in- in f piece of scandal We can almost hear in the midst of the whisper- whisper ings and the rustling Mrs Tree POPlar Poplar Treel i bend toward Mrs Silver-Poplar Silver and andl say Oh my dear Mrs Silver-Poplar Silver I 1 have you heard the latest news new and and 1 thereupon there Seems to follow the bit bits bit bitof j of news that Mrs Silver-Poplar Silver immediately immediately immediately imme- imme bends over to tell her neighbor neighbor- on the other side who in her turn j sends it on 1 Soon the news has reached the last last i one and the whole row is it in ill commotion commotion commo- commo j commo-j j tion head shakes head shakes uplifted hands and little exclamations of Tut Tut Deary me and Did you ever ever ever- make the branches sway and toss and the green leaves rustle Then the wind dies away and when it starts up again th the entire aspect of the avenue has changed The poplars tare Care are no longer gossips but a troop of youths and maidens who are beginning to dance a minuet How the green fans rustle as the maidens bend and bow in perfect harmony to the murmuring cadence of the wind The music stops and the dancers rest As the wind begins to blow again let letus letus letus us look to where three trees are standing somewhat apart from the others Who are they We vVe plainly see a beautiful coquette between two jealous lovers With a graceful movement she bends toward one who is eagerly turning to answer her when with a toss of her haughty head she begins a conversation with the other The rejected lover with wounded pride thereupon seems about to withdraw but the heartless beauty cannot allow it and so she deserts the erstwhile happy lover who is now in his turn trade miserable So it is every windy day The poplar j trees are transformed by the magician 1 Wind into living beings Th They y chatter I j and gossip bow and dance quarrel and J make up again until at evening the j wizard goes to rest and leaves them a 1 helpless inanimate trees again f fG G. G N. N |