The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-09
NAME OF ALOvELY ROSE.
A Generals Love of Flowers and the
Kind Peasant Brought Him.
From LesIie's P5p,lllr Monthly.


From Leslie's P1puIlr Monthly.
The Marechal Neil is one of the loveliest
roses of its kind, the noisette, and in its
name and origin there is one of the hitherto
unwritten romanccs Of the court of Franco
in the second empire. In 1859, when the
French army was sent TO help King Victor
Emanuel drive the Austrians out of Italy,
the third army corps was COM
manded by Cen Neil This officer,
as his name implies, cain9 OF ono
OF those Irish mob g families who ernigrated
to France after the battle Of the Boyne in
1890, as did the MacNahons, the Fitz JameSes
and others, who are now Irisn in LoChiGg
but their names. Cen Neil had commanded
and fought his corps with such eminent
ability aud distiDguis ed courage that,
when peace was made, with his country
men and friend, MacMahon, he was created
marshal of France. 1t was well-nigh
autumn before Gen. Neil was able to return
TO France. He had been terribly wound d.
and had suffered besides from the dreadful
fever of the Italiin marshes For mont lis
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
convalescence.
Oae cay peasant woman brought him n
whole basket of wild roses II al the Cam
pagna region Gen. Neil rad al navs been
extremely fond Of roses, and most of these
were new to him, and thus served to amu>e
him until they were withere /. lie OBJ ,crved,
however, at one aTticular shoot mad not
faded and died like the otherr, buJ had
grown into a beautiful green pa It OF, per-
haps, 10 inches in length. " hen he look vi
to 500 why this one had grown and
the others faded, he found that a bit OF
fl lwer, which was of palish yellow hue
Scarcely knowing why, Neil determined t.
keep the shoot so curiOusly preserved.
When he returned to Paris he placed the
young shoot with an expert 1oricultirist
AMI next sprin it bore four of the loveliest
buds III the world of a pale lemon tinge.
At that time Gen. Neil was sent for to re-
ceive the highest military rank
then known ir France, the Grand
Cross of tho Legion of Honor and
his commission as marshal of France, in
prese CO of three emperors and all the
kings in Europe worth naming After the
solemn ceremony was ended, and he wore
for the first tilne in that day tho grand
cross OF the Legion OF Honor, he went to
the reception OF the empress-Hho was
splendid in her perfection IF beauty-and
presented to her a curious yeliowish rose of
perfect form and perfume, but different
its story.
Aad SO yol have proved the truth of
what the old abbs used TO say in his dread
fully tedious sermons at Pau about casting
the bread on the waters,n said the empress
who, like Quoel Elizabeth of blessed mem
or, "loved fine man. to the handsomest
aud most daring as well as one of the ablest
of the marShals of the second empire
Dear me, tut he was tedious, that good
abbe,n continued her majesty, with the
s1ftest look of RETROSPECT ion in her lovely
dark eyes. Now. Monsieur 10 Marechal,n
said she, vivaclously, 81 shall christen this
70 e for you"
'Do so,n said the Franco-Irish soldier.
bowling very low, but flashing at her
glance of profound admiration, so warm
that it deepenod her col n a little as they
stood alone, for, though the great salon of
the palace was crowded, no one dared iu-
terru.t "A tete a-tete, which she herself had
allowed, between the empress and the hand
soonest general of his day.
Lightly putting the rose to her lips, she
said: at is named the Marecbal 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 afterward give it to me to
keep, this happy rose"
Monsieur le Marechalr' said the empress
with great dignity.
Il pray your forgiveness" he answered
mo, no, am not as angry as 1 ought to
be, she replied; "but-but people might
hear and with Parthian glance she de-
parted.
Four days thereafter Col. Lewal, then
Neil's chief Of staff, but not long since MN
i,ter of war for the French Republic, OBJ
served his chief take a surreptitious rosebud
out Of an envelope he had just received, and
lock it up in a private drawer.