Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-12-10
THE LovELIEST ROSE OF ALL
How the MaTechal Neil Rose Came
by Its Name.

The Marechal Neil is one of the loyeHest
roses OF It's kind the noisette, and in its name
and origin there is one of the hitherto unwrit-
ten romances of the court of France in the
second empire In 1869, when the French
Army was sent to help King Victor Emanuel
drive the Austrians out of Italy, the third
army corps was commanded by General
Neil. This officer, his name implies
came Of one of those noble Irish families
who smigrated to France after the Battle of
the Boyne in 1000, as did the Mae Mahons
the fiu Jameses and others who are now
Irish in nothing but their names. General
Neil had commanded and fought hi. corp.
with such eminent ability AID distinguished
courage that when peace was made with hi.
oountryman and friend MacMahon he was
created marshal of France. 1t was we'll
nigh autumn before General Neil was able
to return to France. He had been terribly
wounded. and had sufft red besides from the
dreadful fever of the Italian marshes. For
months he was between life and death with
only his surgeon. who was his constant com
panion, and a soldier servant, who proved to
be an admirable nurse in his Illness and con-
yalescenCe.
bne day peasant woman brought him
whole basket Of wild roses from the Cam
pagna region, says Leslie. Popular Monthly.
General Neil had always been extremely
fond OF roses, and most of these were new
TO him and thus served to amnse him until
they were withered. He observed, however.
that one particular shoot had not faded and
died like the others, but had grown into a
beautiful green plant of perhaps ten inches
in length. When he looked to see why this
one had grown and the others faded. he
So hat 81 he LoJ
away with the flower. which was of whitsh
yellow hue Scarcely knowing why. Neil
determined to keep the shoot so curiously
preserved. When he returned to Paris he
placed the young shoot with an expert hori-
culturist, and the next spring it bore four of
the loveliest buds in the world of pale lemon
tinge. At that time General Neil was sent for
to receive the highest military rank then
known in France, the grand cross of the
Legion of Honor and his commission as Mar
shall of France, in the presence Of three EN-
perors and all the Kings in Europe worth
naming. After the solemn ceremony was
ended, and he wore for the first time on that
day the grand cross of the Legion of Honor.
he went to the rece ption of the Empires. and
presented to her curious yellowish rose of
perfect form and perfume, but different from
any she had ever seen, and told her its story.
And so you have proved the truth of W hat
the old able used TO say in his dreadfully
tedious sermons at Pau. about casting his
bread on the waters" said the Empress (whu
like Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory.
loved a fine man to the handsomea and
most daring, as well as one of the ablest of
the marshals OF the second empire Dear
me. he was tedious that good able" con
tinued Her Majesty. with the .oftest look of
retrospection in her lovely dark eye,
Now, Monsieur lie Marechsl," said she, vi
vaciously. II shall christen this rose for
YOU
DO So" said tine Frauko-lrish soldier.
bowling very low, but flashing at hera glance
of profound admiration 80 warm that it deep
ened into color little a. they stood alone.
for though the great salon of the palace was
crowded. no one dared TO interrupt their tete-
a tete, which she herself had allowed between
the Empress and the handsomest General of
his day.
Light putting the rose to her lips, she
said 1t is named the Marechsl Neil, for
the soldier sans peur ct sans reproche, as
gallant in the salon As he is on the battle
field"
This gracious speech went straight to the
great soldiers Irish heart.
You will wear it tonight, your Majesty,
will you not, and sfterward give it to ME to
keep. this happy roseF"
M. lie Marechal." said the Empress with
great dignity.
Il pray your forgiveness, he answered.
No, no, | am not as angry as | ought to
be" she replied; "but--but people might
hear" and with Parthian glance she de-
parted.
Four days thereafter Colonel Levall. then
Neils chief of staff. but not not long since
Minister of War for the French Republic,
observed his chief take a surreptitious rose
bud out of an envelope he had just received
and lock it up in a private drawer.-Lesi,es
Popular Aorfhiy.