Pine Tree
In the far corner of the lawn there is a flowerbed that we planted a tiny pine tree in. This tree has done a lot of growing since then. We like to look out and see it towering up in front of the old maple tree that spreads out behind it. The new shoots on the branches are quite attractive each spring and as you watch the power of God in action you will marvel.
Pine tree in front of the maple tree. 
May 23, 1886.
"After dinner we rode about ten miles out to visit an old convent nearly two hundred years old. On the way the clouds began to gather, the lightning to flash, and the thunders to roll, and soon came a violent shower of hailstones, some as large as hickory nuts. The cattle, cows, and horses were running wildly about as if distracted.
We drew up our cover to the carriage, put on our wraps, and were comfortable, but the horse was drawing the heavy carriage up the rising ground and he made haste slowly. Brother Oscar Roth was driving. He called to men at a farmhouse, who threw open the doors of their barn, and we drove in, horse and carriage. We were thankful for a refuge.
A man and his sister lived in the house joined to this barn--for universally the barn is one-half of the house. The smallest half is the dwelling part for the family. These two, brother and sister, are strong Catholics and they are devoted to the Catholic religion, but they treated us with the greatest courtesy. They wanted to make us a dish of coffee or tea, or serve us with cake and wine, but all this was declined. They urged us to come into the family rooms, but I could sit in the carriage and look out through the large open doors and see the showers of hail and I did not wish to go into the house where I would be deprived of this sight. . . . We gathered up handfuls of the hail and ate them.
The master of the house unharnessed our horse and put him in the stall and fed him with grain. He was well acquainted with Oscar Roth. . . . We look upon this as being an interesting little bit of experience. . . .
After the rain ceased we pursued our journey. We were free from dust and everything in nature looked refreshed and smiling. We were upon a high elevation and the scenery in forests of dark green pine, intermingled with the bright and living green of the maple and ash upon the mountainsides, made a picture in nature that the penciling of artistic skill cannot possibly approach."
1886, "Labors in Switzerland,"
3MR 374
Pine Coffins
"We toiled on in Rochester through much perplexity and discouragement. The cholera visited the city, and while it raged, all night long the carriages bearing the dead were heard rumbling through the streets to Mount Hope Cemetery. This disease did not cut down merely the low, but took victims from every class of society. The most skillful physicians were laid low, and borne to Mount Hope. As we passed through the streets in Rochester, at almost every corner we would meet wagons with plain pine coffins in which to put the dead.
Our little Edson was attacked, and we carried him to the great Physician. I took him in my arms, and in the name of Jesus rebuked the disease. He felt relief at once, and as a sister commenced praying for the Lord to heal him, the little fellow of three years looked up in astonishment, and said, "They need not pray any more, for the Lord has healed me." He was very weak, but the disease made no further progress. Yet he gained no strength. Our faith was still to be tried. For three days he ate nothing."
CET 145