The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-09-21
THE BLEEDING BUSH
A PLANT THAT BEARS CRrMeo,
FLOWERS ALL THE YEAR
Its Sap Like Human Blood-star,
ing Above a Neglected Grave a,
Silent Witness of a Terrible Cr;r.

A story of q remarkable, if not snn0.
natural phenomenon, comes from t.
Worth, Texas. Near that city is rosa
oush that blooms summer and w;ntos
The flowers are the brightest red .o
the sap of the plant is the color of blooSU
A gentleman who examined the snu:
found that the bush grew over grays
in which were two skeletons, one u;
them with knife in its temples. r.
related the following remarkable story
"On what is known as the River road
and about three miles from town. stand,
dilapidated old house, the history ~
which no one knows, but it dotes bact
to the time when this was but front;a,
military post. Within few rods Of tbs
deserted house lies grave on which moi
sprig of grass grows, although tbs
ground about is Overrun with vegetation
But ut the head rose bush until lately
spread its untrimmed, uncared. for
branches.
"These branches, summer and winter
we're covered with roses of such bum.
ing, vivid red as to even offend bv their
raw, unshaded color. These roses ON
being plucked, faded and fell to piece,
almost instantaneously. | am an on.
thusiast about roses, devoting much
time to the culture of them, and am
thoroughly acquainted with all varieties.
But the one growing on that nameless
grave was unknown to me, and, although
[ have tried again and again to grow II
from cuttings, have never succeeded.
CATER planting, the sprig would in.
variably be found dead the following
morning, and blackened with a dull
smooty stain, which was not to he ex.
planned by any popularity of soil or
atmospheric influences. But the most
singular thing in connection with these
flowers was not discovered by me until
a few days ago. had occasion to drive
out on the river road early one morning
and as l passed the grave the unnatural
crimson hue of the roses struck me more
forcibly than ever. They hung heavy
and full, with the dew dripping from
their large, curved petals. Fascinated
by their strange beauty, 1 dismounted
and took one of them in my hand with
out plucking it.
''The moisture shaken from it fell upon
my fingers, and to my great wonder,I
saw it was a thick, viscid fluid that
resembled fresh blood too much to be
pleasant. Involuntarily 1 carried nv
hand to my nose, and the sickly, fleshly
odOr of new-drawn blood was unmistak-
able. l shook the horrid drops from
my hand, and saw that they were
thickly exuding from all the roses and
heavily to the grave beneath
as if from q fresh, gaping wound.
took my knife and made an incsion in
the main stem and the blood like sap
oozed freely out. Struck by what |
deemed only a freak of nature, cut a
good sized branch from the bush and
shook the roses over my handkerchief
to catch the crimson dew. The branch
withered in my hand in q very few
the sap becoming so foul with
an odor of animal corruption as to be
so l was obliged to throw
it away; but L carried the stained hand.
kerchief to prominent physician Of
this city, who is also fine chemist, and
asked him to determine the nature of
the fluid. 1 told him all / knew con-
cerning the roses, and was, of course
believed by him; bit upon calling for
the handkerchief the next morning l
was accused by the doctor of trying to
hoax him.
"What made YOU tell me that cock.
lnd-bull story about that rose-bushl
Why, man, you knew it was blood on
hat handkerchief. My microscope
revealed it ut once, although there is
about it cannot understand
n the least-a corruption and yet q life.
However, it is only blood, and human
blood at that.
81 assured him that | had only told
him the truth about the rosebush on
hat lonely grave, extraordinary as that
ruth might seem. On hearing this, he
hurried me off to the spot.
1t was still early enough for the
lew to yet remain on the grass, and the
Oses to be heavy with that horrible
moisture. The doctor examined it closely
nd came to the same conclusion that
lad, that some deed of blood was thus
evealed, and that the victim of the
eed slept i'll the grave beneath. This
re believed, although both of us had
hitherto been even scoffers of all belief
n supernatural occurrences. We re-
urned to town and procured couple
t men to aid us in opening the grave,
Ihich We did at once.
Judging by the absence of remains
wood, or metal without coffin, and be-
cath shallow covering of earth, lay
vo skeletons. One that of woman
young one, the doctor said-and the
Their that Of few months old child.
long tapering knife. such as Mexican
ravado carries, pier ed the temples OF
lie infant, and from its position must
ave pinned it to the bosom of the
lother. No clew was found as to race,
anne, or aught else, so We reinterred
he pitiful remains. and burned that