Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-12-03
The Romance Ola Rose.

county, FLORIDA, grows and blossoms
into curious and magnificent beauty a
rose that seems to be indigenous to a
small area of country, but will not
flourish in any other latitude. The
bush is strong and vigorous and the
leaves are very light but glossy green.
'fhe petals curve slightly inward and
are the color of bright arterial blood.
The odor is pungent and slightly sick
ening, fascinating and vet unpleasant
to marked degree. The popularity
of the rose is that the dew that drops
therefrom is Of faint pinkish cast, a
marvel seen in no other flower, and
the battling wonder of those who have
witnessed it.
1t is called the Grant rose, and it has
a sad and melancholy history, which
is told in the San Francisco Call. Its
origin is one of the mysteries with
which Nature at times delights to as
tonish her wandering devotees.
In 1884 John Grant and Nellie Low
rev were married. Soon after they Sc
lected as their future home farm in
Jefferson county, near the Aucella
river, and in the spring of 1885 q child
was born to them. Soon after that the
Seminoles went on the warpath.
September 30, 1885, was an un-
usually warm day, and young Grant,
having business at the country store,
delayed his trip until the cool of the
evening, when he mounted his horse
and started off, expecting to return at
about a. m. He kissed his hand to
his wife and the growing baby as ne
rode away. Six miles from home his
horse stopped with quick snort of fear
and turned so violently that he was al
most unseatcd. Supposing that it had
been excited by some shadow Of bush
or brier, he urged on. bat q clump of
undergrowth near him became alive,
and after q sharp, ringing sound and
puff Of smoke, his horse, shot through
the heart, trembled and fell under him.
Before he had time to cXtricate himself
the red tiends, with a war-whoop Of
fendish triumph, were upon him. His
scalp was taken by savage and his
warm body flung into the river.
One o'clock came and the young wife
in the cabin put aside her sewing and
listened intently for footsteps. The
moon was hidden behind bank of
dense clouds, and whisper of rain was
hidden in the atmosphere. The yellow
hound became restless and whined as
he shifted the air Another hour passed
and she was about to go to the door
when yell blanched her check. For
moment she stood helpless and
trembling then, clasping her child, she
raised loose plank from the floor,
dropped right through to the ground
and crept into the woods. Soon after
ward she saw the glare of the burning
cabin. Her flight was discovered and
she was overtaken about two miles from
home. Two days afterward q party of
hunters found the mother and the baby
and buried them. Near by a little pool
of blood had collected and had not been
absorbed by the soil In the spring the
husband and father was found entan-
glcd in roots at the bottom of the river.
A few years later hunter, one ofthe
party that had found the bodies, hap
pcned to be in the same locality, and on
the spot where the blood had gathered
he saw a vigorous bush bearing the rose
that has been described. He cut some
slips from it and took them to the set
Element. where he related his discovery.
Such romantic and singular story ex-
cited the curiosity ol many in the ada
cent counties, and repeated efforts were
made TO secure q growth Of the slips in
other places, but failed of success.
Within an area of five miles from the
scene of the tragedy, it is said, the rose
can be found, with its tail and sturdy
stock. its pale green leaves its incuryed
crimson petals and its bloody dew.