To Mrs. H. B. Burton,
Lancaster, KY
"I Spare That Aged Tree" (24 Sep 1855)
or
[The] Woodman[']s Reply
as sung by C. Henry
at
Geo. Christy & Woods Minstrels
Written by
S[ydney]. Dyer
Composed by
W. J. Landram

New York
Published By J. DAVIDSON, 831 Broadway
  Wm. Vanderbeek
      Agent.
[Source: 570650@LoC]

1. I spare that aged tree,
  Then dry that starting tear;
It still shall shelter thee,
  When wand’ring sadly here.
Forbid that I should harm.
  What can the pow’r impart,
The light of joy to charm,
  Like sunshine to the heart.

2. Few are the friends that prove
  Thro’ life’s sad changes true;
When trusted most, they rove,
  And leave old friends for new.
Well may thy heart then cling
  To this familiar tree,
That still abroad doth fling
  Its sheltering arms for thee.

3. When mem’ries of the grave,
  Shoot thro’ thy fever’d brain,
Come where its branches wave,
  And be a boy again;
Come when the bosom heaves
  For those thou can’st not see,
The murmur of its leaves,
  Shall breath their names to thee.

4. I ask no boon to spare,
  To thee so dear a friend;
The storm it still shall dare,
  And here its branches bend.
Ah! who could rudely harm
  What can the pow’r impart,
In this dark world to charm
  The sunshine to the heart.