Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-06-05
Roses.

FROM lllnc liilniclnDflHi the rose has
been esteemed ~ the prc-cmincnt flower.
TIL" Greeks dedicated ii to Aursra, the
goddess of Morning. as AN emblem of
youth, from IL freshness and fragrance
and to Cupid rs an emblem of fllgncity
and danger. from it, transtorinc-. and
its thorns. IT was given by the god Of
Idv" to llarpocratcs. the god Of Silence,
as a hribc, 10 prevent him from bctray-
ing Venus. And because Of this pretty
neurological fancy it was sometimes
sculpturcd on the ceilings Of hanqucting
rooms 10 remind the guests that what
was said in hours of Cunyiyiality ought
not 10 be- repeated and from this comes
the familiar under the rose" or a,J
rosd
Grccian poets say that the rose WA,
originally white. and WAS changed Ia
red. either hy the blood Of Venus. who
arcrntcd her feet with its thorns when
rushing TO the aid Of Adonis. who. in
the prime of his famed beauty. wa- killed
and manglrd by a wild boar; or. accord
ing to some, hy the blood Of Adonis
himself Ihc-c poets say that the cN-
guisiic perfume uf the rose j. derived
from cup Of nectar thrown over IL by
Cupid. and that its thuru- are the
stings of the bees with which the are Of
hi- bow was strung"
III" Romans also favored the ru-o.'
Their hanqucting-ruom were str,H 81
with its leaves; their dishes garni-hod
with IL they wore glr.lnd- Of il at their
fca-i-, and their ladies fayoritc perfume
Wa rose water
Tho Pcrsians believe that In spring the
nightingale lutiors .nd complains about
the ro-c-bu-hes. until hc falls 10 the
ground. charmed and narcoiized. =, It
were. by the subtle. delicious md most
powerful odor. This prrtts fable f tho
sweet bird singing and signing for tho
beautiful and amhrosial flower uf It's
love. j. told Icy TIA" poet Altar. in work
called Bulbul Namoh. the book Of the
nightingale like this, The world Of
birds came before King solomon. charg-
ing the nightingale with disturbing their
rest Icy tho bro. and plainiivc warh-
ling that all night long he trills in sort
oi frenzy "r inioNigajiou. The accused
bird Is summoned. questioned. and nc
quilted by the wis" man. and The night
inCalc'- defence il that lac cannot sup
press his passionate and pathetic lament.
hccnu~" his intense iuye for the queen uf
flowers las distracted him
In France. in the middle ages. the
knights 20 q tournament wore cmhrnid.
cred on their sleeve, 2 rose a. an clrblrm
that gontlouo-- should accompany rour-
age. and that beauty i the reward Of
vnlor. About this time too. in France
the flowers worr esteemed so precious
that none Int the wealthy and influential
were permitted to cultivate them. and
later tenants were taxed $50 many
bushels Of roses that were used FOR rose
water not only. hut for covering tho
tables instead of napkins"
~ "a L.. lu,
some sad or pleasant memory connected
with this interesting flower. There are
the roses that grew in their pale. wild
lpvolincss on the green hillside. where
We played with the laughing. rumping
friends of our childhood; there are the
roses that grew big and red and fragrant
beside the gate. or the old stone wall of
the dear old homc--or climbed to the
very roof. dangling. dcwy and delicious,
before the window of the little room in
which we sat in the silvcry moonlight or
golden sunlight, years and years ago.
when the heart was young and the brow
unwrinklcd, dreaming of splendid posi-
bilities never to be realized. There is
the dead rose. old and scentlcss. hidden
away in some dark, locked receptacle. n
memcnto of an affection that has perish
ed-ofu beloved one that has passed out
of our lives forever. There are the white
roses worn by the Joyous bride. or lying
on a coffin lid. or hlussoming on the
grave of the dearest. the best. and the
lost.
Everywhere. in mirth or mourning. In
sorrow or in gladncss. in remembrance
or in hope, in scenes of gayety or in
haunts of despair. the rose, the flower of
flowers. brings to us its bcauteous pres
cnce or some interesting association.