The Bullet Tree - From a Neighborhood Child

THE BULLET TREE No one knows how long the bullet has been lodged in the big old maple tree Mr. Ailey claims he knows but Mr. Ailey is an old old man No one till Teddy so far as we know ever tried to dig it out Mr. Ailey says the growth at last will push it out Ailey says “The shot was fired at trailin’ injun’ horsemen” He rubs the wrinkles down off his face and says “It was a Wells and Fargo stage a rollin’ down what now appears yer Downin’ Street That there tree was jist a sturdy pole when ‘Ugly Ben” a sittin’ shot-gun fired a round At them them injuns” Then old Ailey clucks his teeth The bullet tree is just down the terrace from the deaf lady’s house It stands on the dear lady’s property (Mrs. Troutman) “That there house ya see” Ailey’s pointing with one crooked finger “That there house useta be nuthin’ but prairie dog territory” He coughs spits a string “I come huntin’ buffalo afore even that there tree was more’n a shootin’ twig Ta git back ta Ben Now Ben come back one day ta see ifn he could find a shell or two When he come upon the bullet lodged in tha tree So he drove it in and pushed the empty shell casing in in back of it Thet there bullet Ya see? Goes tat ha very heart o’ thet there tree” Even at our age we didn’t believe half of what the old man said Teddy tried to pry the bullet out one day But the deaf woman crackled threats from her porch Her voice we thought what a porcupine might sound like Anyway the deaf woman’s cackle was a bad omen we thought The bullet tree at last became a challenge To dart after careful observation then To touch the dented weathered circled end Without arousing Mrs. Troutman