The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1875-09-08
FLOWERS.

u Who does not love flowers, and
joyfully welcome them in the
spring as they greet US after their
long rest? 1 think very few can
truthfully say that they do not.
What a variety Of flowers We
have all the time The snow has
hardly gone before the trailing
arbutus comes to us, and after
wards the violet, anemone, and
hundreds of others.
4 The violet has peculiar .signif'
cation in France. It is said that
Louis Napoleon was a great admi.
rer Of this flower, and that when
surrounded by enemies he was
able to distinguish his friends by
the violets which they cautiously
exhibited. When Eugene had
decided to accept his offer of mar
mage, she appeared before him in
q violet costume, violets in her
hand and at her throat, and this
was her only answer.
=: Napoleon the First also selected
this as his favorite flower. How
ever deeply he was agitated in
mind. a bunch Of violets or some
other simple flower would always
calm him. He planted violets pro-
fusely upon Josephine's grave, and
after his own death kind hands
placed them upon his coffin.
Even the most common flowers,
and those which are the most des-
pissed, are not only very beautiful,
but some of them have been pro-
.ductive Of great good.
The thistle was once instrument
ztal in saving Scotland. 1t was in
a time Of war:-apd the Scots, all
uncenscious of the approach OF
the enemy, were quietly sleeping.
The enemy came nearer, and just
asIsuceess, seemed ! almost certain
one of them stepped.upon a this
tie and iavoluatariiEg cried out for
pain. The Scots heard his cry
and by greatsezertion5saved their
country. = -.
Besides these beautiful wild
flowers we have many celebrated
ones that demand an equal notice.
The rose was held in high estima-
tion by the aucients. Cleopatra,
at a feast which she gave in hon.
or Of Mark Antony, had the floor
covered with aoses to the depth
of two cubits. Heliogabalus, at an
entertainment given by him, or.
dered not only the floor of the
banquet room and the floors Of the
halls leading to it to be covered
with roses, but caused roses to be
showered down upon the guests
in such Quantities that many OF
them were sufocated, being unable
to extricate themselves fro m
them.
Among the flowers which bright
en- our homes in the winter, the
principal one is the geranium.-
The great statesman Fox, always
had one of these plants in his win
dow, and loved it because it was
his mothers favorite flower.
Flowers are also brought to our
notice in the Bible. Solomon lik.
ers Christ to the Rose Of Sharon,
and Christ himself says, "Consider
the lilies of the field, how they
grow; they toll not neither do they
spin. And yet I say. unto you,
that even Solomon in all his glory
was not tarrayed like one OF
these"
We cannot be thankful enough
for these little blessings for
"God might have made the earth bnng forth
Enough for great and small,
|. The oak tree and the cedar tree,
Without flower at all.
eve might have had, enough, enough
For every want Of OUTS;
For luxury, medicine and toll,
And yet have had no flowers.
"Our outward life requires them not;
Then wherefore had they BIRTH,
To minister delight to man,
To beautify the earth.
''To comfort man-to whisper hope
Where'er ais faith is dim;
For whose careth for the flowers
Will much more care for him."
AGATHA ROYCE.
A shopkeeper purchased Of an
Irish woman a quantity of butter,