Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1872-09-06
The Rose, the Thistle, and the Shamrock.
Chambers Journal gives the origin
of those national emblems, as follows
THE ROSE OF ENGLAND.

of those national emblems, as follows
THE ROSE OF ENGLAND.
In the early part of the reign of
Henry VI, about the year 1850, a few
noblemen and gentlemen were discuss
ing who was the rightful heir to the
English crown. After time they ad-
|journed to the Temple Gardens, think
ing they would be more free from in
terruption. Scarcely, however, had
they arrived when they perceived Rich
ard Plantagenet approaching. I'm
willing to continue the conversation in
his presence, a great silence ensued.-
He, however, asked them what they
had been so anxiously talking about
when he joined them, and whether they
espoused the cause of his party, or that
of the usurper, Henry of Lancaster,
who had filled the throne. A false
and absurd politeness preventing their
making any reply, he added, "Sinee
you are so reluctant to tell your epin-
ion by words, tell me by signs, and let
him that is an adherent of the House
of York pull white rose as I do."-
Then said the Earl of Somerset, "Let
him who hates flattery, and dares to
maintain our rightful king, even in the
presence of his enemies, pull red rose
with me-" When Henry VII. married
Elizabeth of York, the rival house
were blended, and the rose became the
emblem of England.
THIsT1E:oF SCOTLAND.
In the reign of Malcolm l., in the
year 1910, Scotland was invaded by the
Danes, who made a descent on Aber-
deenshire, intending to take by storm
Staines Castle, a fortress ofimportance.
The still hour of midnight was select
ed as the time for commencing the at
tack. When all was ready, and there
was reasonable hope that the inmates
of the castle were asleep, they COM
menced their march. They advanced
cautiously, taking off their shoes to
prevent their footsteps being heard
They approached the lofty tower, their
hearts beating in joyous anticipation
of victory. Not a sound is heard from
within. They can scarcely refrain
from exclanations of delight, for they
have but to swim across%ehse. moat and
place scaling ladders, and the castle is
theirs But in another moment a CRY
from themselves rouses the inmates to
a sense of their danger, the guards fly
to their posts, and pursue the now
trembling Danes, who fly before them.
Whence arose this sudden change of
affairs? From a very simple cause
It appears that the moat, instead of
being filled with water, was in reality
dried up and overgrown with thistles,
which pierced the unprotected feet OF
the assailants, who tortured with pain,
forgot their cautious silence and utter
ed the cry which had alarmed the sleep
ing inmates of the castle.
SHAMROCK OF IRELAND.
One day st. Patrick was preaching
at Tara. He was anxious to explain
the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. The
people failed to understand and refus-
ed to believe that there could be three
persons and yet but one God. The
holy man paused moment, absorbed
in thought, and seeing a shamrock
peeping from the green turf exclaim-
ed, t'Do you not see in this simple lit
tie wild flower how three leaves are
united into one stalk ?" His audience
understood without difficulty this sim
pie yet striking illustration, to the in
expressible delight of St. Patrick
From that day the shamrock became
the national emblem of Ireland.