West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-10-09
ROMANCE OF A ROSE.
A Curious and Interesting Flori.
dian Legend.
One of the Mysteries with which Nature
at Times Delights to Astonish Her Dew
otees-A Strange Flower which
Accentuates southern Tragedy.

III tHc WcSutTu part OF Jefferson
County there grows and blossoms into
curious and magnificent beauty "A
rose that seems to be indigenous to n
small area of country, but which will
not flourish i'm other ATTITUDES. The
] bush is "A strong aud vigorous one and
the leaves are a very ght but gle. o.sy
| green. The petals of the flower curve
! slightly inward and arc the color OF
bright, arterial blood The odor is
pungent but slightly sickening. The
peculiarly of this flower is that the
dew that drops thercfrom is of a faint
/ pinkish cast, marvel seen in no other
! Hover, the battling wonder of those
who have witnessed it, IL is called the
/ Grant rose and has n sad and mclan
choly history. Its origin is one Of
/ those mysteries with which nature at
times delights to astonish her devot,cs.
In 1884 John Grant and Nellie Low
| ~ were married. Both were natives of
an adjoining county, whore the record
OF their baptism and marriage is still
ON h'e among the rude archives that
have been handed down from year TO
| year John was young farmer, stout
and strong, splendid type of South I'm
manhood, comparatively well educated,
| Injured TO hard work self-rel ant and
! quick of resource. Nellie was well
| suited TO be the mate of such a man.
| She was bright and pretty, the belle Of
| the little settlement, full OF buoyant
! health and spirits, strong of arm and
! heart, fully skilled i'm household and
| farm duties and stainless and pure of
| mind and soul. At one of the pleasant
| social gatherings Of the neighborhood
| they had met. Ii was q case of mutual
! love at first sight, and COY as Miss Mel
lie was, it did not take young Grant
! long to WOO and win her
They were married on the morning
| or the 81 of June, 1884. For miles
| around the ncighbors ilocked to the
wedding OF the popular young couple.
| The wedding feast that followed would
! have beer fit TO set before King. The
! forests contributed their choicest game
and the river its most toothsOme fish.
| Chickens were plentiful and there were
| loads OF bread aud cake An open bar
| rel OF pcrsimmOn beer sparklcd near
| the doorway In The afternoon. with
all his earthly goods packel in huge
I wagon drawn by four oxen, his young
wife seated beside him, glancing tear
! fully back at the dear old home she
/ vas leaving forever. but smil ng
| through her tears, John Grant took up
! the line Of march to the place he had
| selected as their future home II was
! in Jefferson County, near the beautiful
| Ancilla River Here he took up one
] hundred and sixty acres of fine virgin
/ soil, built n rough but comfortable lOV
/ house and settled down to the prosaic
/ duties of life His sturdy oxen soon
/ broke up the ground. the seed was
sown. and with patient round Of labor
/ he waited for the rich results which
! were sure to follow. Meantime the
| dainty taste Of his young wife had mado
q cosy nest Of the rude house. and in
! the little door-yard many homcly, old.
| fashioned flowers blOomed and bios
| somed. The nearest neighbOr was five
! miles aud tie nearest store was ten
| miles away, but the couple did not lack
/ for either the neccssaries or the luXuries
\ Of life. Their larder was az their vcry
/ doors and near by the Amelia. roaming
/ downward TO the Gulf brought cool
/ ing breeZes to them and delighted
their eyes with the glossy verdure that
fringcd It's banks. It's beautiful waters
wcrc like n mirror and over sixty feet
in depth The glistcning sand was plain
| ly Isible
In the spring of 1885 p child was born
unto them and a new blessing added TO
The happy household making lies du-
ties o pleasure and its varied responsi-
/ bl.t.es easier 10 be borne. But a cloud.
/ not larger than n mans hand, soon
/ made its appearance, heavy with sor-
! row and disaster and fraught with dark
/ ncss that enveloped and crushed the
/ happy family in its gloom.
The Seminole Indians. who had for
/ some time been quiet and friendly and
/ engaged in the peaceful pursuits of the
chase. the quiet of camp.fres and Of
+. social intercourse. were secretly prcpar-
ing for on outbreak under the iusidi-
Ous appeals Of Osceola and some OF the
other young and fiery chief- OF the tribe
/ In,ir inliammatOry appeals might,
however have failed Of effect had they
/ not resorted TO a desperate expediont
IN the month of September. 1850.
/ Charley OmOtHla, a Seminole chicftain
/ o. great influence vino had been 70
I scadfast and much respected friend OF
the white people giving his voice and
prestige TO them on every occasion,
| while sirOlliug through the woods with
. young daughter was waylaid and