Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-11-07
THE POETRY OF THE ASPARAGUS.

The delicate Asparagus derives its name from
the Greek AspoydgoS, a young shoot not yet open.
cd into leaf lis there not much beauty ia u bed of
asparagus run to seed ? The tall, slender, feathery
green sprays, with their shining, bead like berries
have an air OF great elegance, especially when be-
gemmed by the morning dew. Asparagus was
first cultivated IN England about 1862. Some spe.
cies OF the wild asparagus are still found in Wales
10 the Isle OF Portland. and near Bristol. Tavern
Ter mentions having found some enormous aspara-l
gus on the banks Of the Euphrates aud PIinyl
mentions asparagus cultivated Mt Rayenna, three Of
which would weigh a pound.
Asparagus is an especial favorite with our Gallo
neighbors. OF the French philosopher, Fontelle
an anecdote is related, which shows how completely
his goarmdndize could conquer oil natural emo.
tons Of the mind.
One day a brother liternt, with whom he had
lived in habits of friendship for many years, came
to dine with him. The principal part of the meal
was to consist OF asparagus, of which both host
and guest were extremely fond, but they differed in
their tastes as to the mode of dressing it the lat
ter preferred il with butter the former with OIL
Alter some discussion, they came to n compromises;
the cook was ordered to make two equal divisions,
and to dress ono share VITA oil, and the other with
butter. The knotty point being settled, the friends
entered into some literary conversation. In the
height of their discourse the guest fell from his seat
suddenly struck with appoplexy. Fontenelle hastily
summoned all the necessary assistance, but in vain
for despite OF every ~exertion to restore him, the
invalid expired. What were the reflections of our
French philosopher on this abrupt and melancholy
termination Of a long standing friendship? Awe?
SORROW Religious aspirations2 No! but a hap
by recollection that now his own taste could be
gratlfied without the necessity Of any Difference to
that of another. lie left the corpse, and running
to the head of the stairs, called out to his cook
Dress 1t with oil-all with DILL" Tout a J. hute
tout a J. hule !" 1t is not surprising that n man
so exempt from the wear and tear of human emo
tons as Fontenelle, lived to lie upwards of ninety
nine years OF age. He was forty years Secretary
of the Acadamy of Sciences, and died in 1855.
Wild asparagus was held in reverence by the
1~oxides, a colony in Caria. in remembrance Of their
ances:ress, Perigone. She was the daughter of
Sinnis. q robber of gigantic stature, dwelling in
the Peloponnesus, who was surnamed the Pine
bender. from the species Of cruelty he practiced on
all whom he defeated. lie used to bend down two
pines till they met then he tied a leg and on
arm OF the captive to each tree, and sud
denly letting the pines fly back to their natural posi-
ton. the unfortunate victim was torn assunder.--
This monster was conquered by Theseus, and put
to death in his own manner. On his defeat, his
young daughter, Perigone. fled and hid herself
amid a brake of wild asparagus, praying the
plants in childish simplicity, to conceal her and
promising never to root them up, or burn them.
She lay among them so we'll sheltered, that she es-
capped discovery by Theseus, till she was induced
by the conciliatory tones in which he called upon
her in his researches, TO com forward to him. lie
subsequently, married her, and their grandson,
loxus, founded in Caria a colony who kept in memo
~ the pledge Of Perigone to the plants that had
given her refuge.
The wild asparagus being full Of ~prickles, yet
agreeable and wholesome to eat, its sprays were
used by the Betians as wedding garlands, to sig
nifty to the bride, that she has giveA her lover
trouble wooing her. so she ought to ~recompense
him by the pleasantness of her manners in welded
life.-Da6hin University Magazine.