and before love had maddened
them the men had been friends as well as brothers. She gauged their
characters thoughtfully, and hit upon a plan--which, at the expense of
some self-sacrifice, would arrange the matter peacefully. Bidding both
lovers attend her one day, she brought them to this spot, and cutting
two willow wands of exactly the same length and thickness she stuck
them deep into the moist soil, and announced her decision. They would
wait three years, she said, and at the end of that time the man whose
tree had grown the strongest, should come and claim his answer. She
would attend to both willows herself, giving to each the same care, and
treating them with equal fairness. Then she made the men shake hands
in amity once more, and swear to abide by her decision.

The story further tells that both willows flourished finely, but that
in the last year the true love's tree outstripped its mate, as was
right and proper. As the lady had anticipated, when the term of
probation expired only one of the twins appeared to claim an answer to
his suit. And in the pocket of the constant man, when he kissed his
own true love, lay a letter, from across the seas, full of brotherly
affection and congratulation.

This little story was a favorite with Pocahontas, and she was fond of
relating how her great-great-grandmother by a little wit and generous
self-sacrifice, averted a feud between brothers, and kept family peace
unbroken.

The trees were always called "The Lovers," and under their sweeping
branches the young people were fond of gathering on moonlit summer
evenings.

Pocahontas seated herself under the larger tree on the dry, warm grass,
and Jim leaned against the rugged trunk, silently drinking in, with his
eyes, the still beauty of the night--the silvery sheen of the water,
the pure bend of the sky, the slope of the lawn, and the gray
tranquillity of the old house in the background. And as he gazed,
there awoke in his breast, adding to its pain, that weary yearning
which men call home-sickness.

With a shuddering sigh and a movement of the strong shoulders as though
some burden were settling down upon them, Jim dropped himself to the
ground beside his companion, and suffered her gently to possess herself
of his tobacco pouch and pipe. The girl felt that the peacefulness of
the scene jarred upon his mood, and set herself to soothe him into
harmony with himself and nature. Jim watched the white fingers deft