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 THE 
 
 TEACHER'S OLD 
 CHAIR 
 
 JOHN B. GABLE 
 
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THE 
 
 TEACHER'S OLD 
 
 CHAIR 
 
 AND 
 
 THE SQUIRREL 
 
 BY 
 JOHN B. CABLE 
 
 ^ 
 
 PRINTED BY 
 
 THE ROYCROFTERS 
 
 EAST AURORA 
 
 N.Y. 
 
 i*' a»- 
 
 Copyright 1918. John B. Cable 
 
 ■i!:i««»>n:i»«>faa- 
 
 
#1 
 
 -o< 
 
 .'T 
 
 •"^^ A k 
 
THE 
 
 TEACHER'S OLD 
 
 CHAIR 
 
 ^ ^^ 
 
 jT fS school is nearly to an end, and 
 
 5.^ H closes Friday afternoon ; 
 
 We each will have a piece to speak and 
 
 then will give a little room 
 For this old chair; you call it mine, 
 
 as in it sitting, oft I be 
 And to a teacher, nice it is; this kind 
 
 provision made for me. t/ > 
 
 As all are through and did so well, I 
 
 introduce my Mr. Chair, 
 Who will be pleased to speak to you, 
 
 in broken tongue ; with accent rare. 
 About his life ; to you no doubt a curious 
 
 story it will seem. 
 Because his life was not as yours, a 
 
 playground and a summer's dream. 
 
Dear Scholars : I, this old, old chair, 
 and standing here for many a day. 
 
 Will tell you of my birth and life ; give 
 good attention all, I pray, 
 
 And follow close my truthful tale, be- 
 cause deep interest you will find 
 
 In what I did and what I wore and what 
 developed through my mind. 
 
 My father was a giant great ; they called 
 
 him Oak; was large and strong. 
 Therefore kind nature showed the way 
 
 to bring the future life along, 
 Which through an acorn, first I was ; 
 
 my coat was smooth ; I wore a cap ; 
 A little crown it seemed to me, and nicer 
 
 far than any hat. 
 
 When I had taken needed food, to make 
 
 me plump and round and neat, 
 The Lady in the moon looked down and 
 
 said to me in accent sweet; 
 You have a mission, little man; you 
 
 should not live for idle show. 
 Because you are no butterfiy, and to 
 
 your work should wisely go. 
 
V' T* FROST one night was handed 
 ^ § down, which touched what you 
 
 might call my pen; 
 And being ripe, as people say, it 
 
 ** nipped " the feeble little stem 
 That held me to the generous branch, 
 
 and fed me all the summer through. 
 But when the sun had found the frost, 
 
 I broke away and bade adieu. 
 
 And arrow -like I shot to earth, and I 
 
 was never found alone. 
 Because all things had been prepared 
 
 for comfort, in my rustic home. 
 I looked about and saw the leaves ; 
 
 they made me such a lovely bed 
 That to go back to dizzy heights, I never 
 
 would, I frankly said. 
 
 The squirrels jumped and played about, 
 
 their little stories they would tell 
 Of how they v/atched me days ago, 
 
 and how they saw me when I fell, 
 And while they thought I frightened 
 
 was ; that probably my head would 
 
 split, 
 They truly knew no harm would come ; 
 
 that harmed I would not be, a bit. 
 
 m 
 
I wished to rest, and this I did; my 
 
 lovely home, my charming bed, 
 Filled every want my heart desired, 
 
 and every wish within my head. 
 The storms came on, I sweetly slept; 
 
 beneath a mantle white I lay; 
 They called it snow ; it was as pure as 
 
 incense on a summer's day. 
 
 'P- 
 
 When months had gone and spring had 
 
 come, with ecstacy my heart had 
 
 welled ; 
 My coat no longer was a fit ; the threads 
 
 no longer firmly held 
 But gave away; so strange it seemed; 
 
 I hoped my crown was firm and 
 
 tight, 
 
 ^11^; Yet curiously it almost seemed, a soul 
 iT?^-.. within was seeking light. 
 
 In this I seemed to have no voice ; 
 
 kind Nature, faithful to her task 
 ^ Was working out what God designed ; 
 
 I need not any questions ask; 
 But be submissive, for the time was 
 
 creeping on, and come it would 
 When I should fill the place designed ; 
 
 as father, v»^ho a giant stood. 
 
My inner heart, a spark contained ; 
 
 the germ we recognize as life ; 
 Although I had been living still, the 
 
 fact thereof was never rife ; 
 But as a bud about to burst, that all 
 
 the world might know and see 
 The workings of a Master mind; so 
 
 strangely sweet; a mystery. 
 
 A little tendril, or a shoot, to ease my 
 
 heart was searching deep; 
 In gentle way, to find a place, and 
 
 silently its way did creep 
 Until it found the one designed ; where 
 
 mother earth had stored away 
 A morsel for the hungry mouth; here 
 
 I would spend a life -long day. 
 
 It ate and thrived, as well it might; 
 earth's sacred table was its own; 
 
 A worthy heir had it become; pro- 
 nounced by One upon the Throne, 
 
 And strong it waxed; a tender stem 
 at first, and still it seemed to me 
 
 Was perfect in its woodland garb ; or 
 as a little school-boy tree. 
 
The changing seasons brought it joy; 
 
 the springtime and the summer 
 
 too; 
 The autumn when it lost its coat; yet 
 
 left no thought of being blue ; 
 Crisp winter was its time of rest ; gained 
 
 strength in every stubborn storm, 
 And I will take the pronoun now; I 
 
 ne'er was stronger since was born. 
 
 I looked at others of my age ; I strove 
 
 to keep with them a-pace ; 
 My lineage was good indeed, and win 
 
 I would in life's wise race; 
 I studied well the other shrubs, but 
 
 studied most what seemed to me 
 The lesson which I best should know ; 
 
 how to upbuild my own good tree. 
 
 My cover now was known as bark and 
 
 rough it seemed to those outside. 
 But knowing what reposed beneath, 
 
 their verdict I have not denied. 
 But kept along with heart and limbs ; 
 
 the taunts fell lightly on my ear, 
 ,,p #While others talked, I harder worked; 
 
 dismissed I not the thought of 
 
 >^ cheer. 
 
As I was strong, the sweetest birds amid 
 my branches built their nests, 
 
 And reared their young, which sang to 
 me, when they were given music- 
 vests. 
 
 They held their concerts every morn, 
 as close there beamed a mirrored 
 pool. 
 
 At which they drank, and then agreed, 
 with other birds to go to school. 
 
w 
 
 m 
 
 "tr 
 
 X THINK perhaps three hundred 
 years, the sunshine and the 
 shadows came; 
 The showers and the rainbow too; 
 that brightened up, if it should rain, 
 And when kind Nature had discerned 
 that I no greater here would grow, 
 Some men were sent to cut me down, 
 and to the mill must truly go. 
 
 With axes keen they chopped and 
 
 chopped; with them it seemed to 
 
 be an art; 
 I weakened when they reached what 
 
 seemed the very tendrils of my 
 
 heart ; 
 No longer I the forests pride ; no longer 
 
 I the monarch strong; 
 No longer should my dancing leaves, 
 
 sing to the breeze their summer 
 
 song ; 
 
 I fell; and with a deep, sad moan, I 
 
 heavy fell upon the ground; 
 
 ^1^ The woods, lamenting as it seemed, 
 
 carried about the solemn sound ; 
 
 I The birds and squirrels changed their 
 
 tune in reverence it seemed for me. 
 
 For I had fallen as they said ; yet fallen 
 
 as a noble tree. 
 
They sawed me up in logs 't is true ; 
 in lengths that they could haul 
 away, 
 
 And had they not, remember this, 
 I had not been with you today; 
 
 Because, except in lesser form, con- 
 flicting forces may not fill 
 
 Their coffers through our precious lives, 
 and take us to a dusty mill. 
 
 They placed me on a carriage smooth; 
 it seemed to me unwritten law; 
 
 It took me to some naughty teeth, in 
 what was wisely termed a saw; 
 
 It sang and buzzed and whirled along, 
 and slashed me to the very heart. 
 
 In slabs and planks and boards like- 
 wise ; identity had lost its art. 
 
 A planer then they put me through, to 
 
 quite remove the roughness left 
 By cruel teeth, that ruffled up; that 
 
 gave me neither joy or rest. 
 But man is wise, he seems to feel, 
 
 where trees at last are sure to go. 
 Yet often in his weakness guessed, if 
 
 wisdom shall his pathway show 
 
 jir--iv 
 
 F:;^1^ 
 
 ^■X'! 
 
 
 j.^i 
 
Yes, I was quarter-sawed they said, 
 
 and that meant something fine, 
 
 indeed, 
 And I was sought throughout the town ; 
 
 wood-workers all were now in need 
 Of flawless timber; smooth and nice. 
 
 Until that time I had not spoke. 
 I simply said, my searching friend, one 
 
 day you lunched beneath an oak. 
 
 Beneath the branches of an oak, and 
 
 they were just a part of me ; 
 We both were one, and every part that 
 
 went to make the giant tree ; 
 I shielded you from sun and shower, 
 
 upon my plot I gave you rest. 
 But now I am at your command, do 
 
 unto me as seemeth best. 
 
 Said he I prize your very worth; your 
 
 reason and your meekness too 
 And I, a man in truest sense, will only 
 
 justice with you do ; 
 He took me to a busy shop, where men 
 
 were dressed in white it seems ; 
 But each had spoke his little piece, 
 
 and very fev/ were in their teens. 
 
They trimmed m^e in peculiar way ; 
 
 bored holes and filled with wooden 
 
 pegs. 
 They polished me ; I fairly shone ; they 
 
 built me up with jointless legs; 
 A strong support was built around the 
 
 rear: that seemed a little nack, 
 Designed, the workman said to me, 
 
 to well support a weary back. 
 
 When I was finished, as they said, 
 
 I was the King Bee of the day; 
 Directors of a District came, and paid 
 
 the price ; took me away 
 To where you children come to school ; 
 
 to learn the book ; to use the pen ; 
 To speak your piece in after years ; 
 
 when youth is passed; when you 
 
 are men. 
 
 Now, I, this old and soiled chair, have 
 told the story of my birth, 
 
 And how I battled many years, to hold 
 my place upon the earth. 
 
 And if you think your life is hard; 
 if little worries change your hair; 
 
 Remember well the piece I spoke. Re- 
 member well the Teacher's Chair, 
 
^' / \ 
 
 :^=3f,- 
 
 THE SQUIRREL 
 
 % 
 
 V^^IS little world is as dear to him, 
 
 \ J5 no doubt as mine to me ; 
 
 He capers about for his winter's store, 
 
 'neath a great old chestnut tree 
 That has kept him waiting for many 
 
 months for the promised store 
 
 ahead 
 And he really believed, if he kept to 
 
 work, through winter he would be 
 
 fed. 
 
 With his ** clever ** claws he can climb 
 
 a tree, and sauce you half-way up ; 
 Will scold and sputter and dare you 
 
 climb, with your talked-of loving 
 
 cup. 
 His wisdom-cap is fitting close ; he has 
 
 learned his lesson well 
 And is more than pleased to repeat to 
 
 you, if given a chance to tell. 
 
His teeth are as sharp as little blades, 
 
 the Damascus sort you know, 
 Which hold an edge in the autumn time 
 
 and even through ice and snow ; 
 And a little boquet he always has, that 
 
 rainbow-like bends down 
 Very close to his coy little ears ; well 
 
 up on his head; his crown. 
 
 And his little children he teaches well ; 
 they each must their lesson learn. 
 
 And that is to gather their own sweet 
 crumbs, and thereby a living earn, 
 
 For the fathers and mothers often said, 
 they were taught and always found 
 
 They could not do as the sweet school- 
 marms, congenially board around. 
 
 '^I 
 
 When I see a squirrel with winter store, 
 
 all nicely housed away; 45^^ 
 
 I think, what a lovely fellow you, to 
 
 prepare for a winter's day. 
 I would not rob you of what you have, 
 
 except were a robber I, 
 And if I did, I would get my pay in the 
 
 ** sweet " of the by-and-by. 
 
Go on, little fellow, and spread your 
 
 board for your jolly family dear 
 And so far as the writer can intercede, 
 
 nothing you have to fear; 
 For the God that planted the chestnut 
 
 tree, was a God who is just and 
 
 true 
 And therefore he bade it produce the 
 
 nuts, for your little ones and you. 
 
QOETRY reveals to us the ' 
 loveliness of Nature, brings 
 back to us the freshness of 
 youthful feelings, revives the relish 
 of simple pleasures, refines us and 
 strengthens our interest in human 
 nature by vivid delineations of its 
 tenderest and softest feelings, and 
 through the brightness of its vision 
 helps faith to lay hold on future life. 
 
 JOHN B. CABLE'S Book 
 
 ^t (god % %n and ^tlin l^nmn 
 
 does this. He has taken things 
 vulgarized by everybody's use and 
 glorified them by his handling, j 
 
 tl The Roycrofters have printed 
 and bound it — another incentive 
 to the book-lover to buy it. 
 
 It is TWO DOLLARS 
 
 Address : THE ROYCROFTERS 
 East Aurora &^ &^ New York 
 
r> 018 602 391 _^ __