The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-20
BY THE Way.
BEING a RamhIGr'S Observations on Things
in General
The Shamrock in Botany - Spinning-Whsel
Foibies- Divorces IL Emerica-Mlllion-
aires and Their Houses.
Written for THE MoRNrNG CALL

Doubtless there were not a few of the
loval sons OF Erin who celebrated st.
Patrick's day adorned with the eXquisitely
beautiful "shamrocbs 50 green" The plant
can doubtless be grown anywhere within
the temperate regions, but hall0wed VEN
Grafton attaches to it when it is known to
have been grown On Irish soil. There is an
eager desire to possess even the tiniest
branch rs d symbol OF affection for the
motheriand. Large cOnsiEnments or The
shamrock are made 10 England and the
United States, and possibly It also reaches
tie Anlip0des in time to be feature in the
rejoicing # the Seventeenth. The Irish
members in the House Of Commons always
make a point Of displaying conspicuous
punches 10 their buttonh0les. and after the
dinner in com any, with which they cele-
crate the occasion, they are in radiant good
tUmCr and ready on the slightest proYoca-
ton 10 keep tie house in a ljght-hea rted
mood Il der Mr.. PaIneiPS leadership II
was the custom of tie Irish members to
hold their banquet IN one OF the large rooms
Of the Commons TefreShment department,
aud it was a sight to behold them drop into
the House after the feast and fiji Up the
benches below the gangway. each dlstln-
gGlshed by the badge Of nationality. \ OF
withstanding the division in the party, the
shamrock Is UnQueStiouably Stlll consplcu-
uus a. a reminder to England that ireland
has claims to be considered and rights to be
adjusted.
ST Patrick probably had slender acquaint-
ance with botany, for it was not then a
science. and those whom he instructed in
the mysteries of the Trinity, using the
shamrock as an illustration, were doubtless
more uniformed than himself in plant
nomenclature. Botany, in fact. did not
arise as a science until the eighteenth Gen.
no. en- Tor 81 fff qr
81. Patrick selected for his Theological dis
course IS beyond identification There is
no record CT drawing on the subject, moth
Ing but tradition, and what tradition may
become IS seen in the confused naming of
different but allied plants as the yeTltable
shamrock. This occurs IN Ireland itself.
No attempt at solution Is found in the words
Of the song:
There grows IT. orr Isle \ sweet little flower
Twas >. fatriCh himself that planted il
The mystery viii never be cleurcd up.
IL tie Century Dictionary the existing in
formation on the subject is thus sunmar-
lied: According t. recent authority. the
plant at present most in repute as the sham
rock is one Of the hop cloYers, Irfoiium
minus, q slender trailing species with small
yellow heads, perhaps a variety Of ITi-
folum pTOcumbens. Il is in use IL many
counties Of Ireland and forms great part
Il the shamrock sold in London on st.
Patrick ) day. The black medic, MedicagO
lupuliua. is also thus used, but the white
clover. Trfolium repens, is widely under
stood 10 be the common shamrock. The
identity Of the original shamrock, which,
according 10 tradition, st. Patrick used 10
illustrate tie doctrine Of the Tri2ity, is I'M
certain. II has been yariouslY supposed 10
be the common white clover, Tnioiium re-
pens (Which, however, Is supposed TO be of
late introduction into Ireland; the red
clover, IrlI0llum pratensa, the wood sarrel,
OXalls 2CeiO Sella, locally called shamrock
IN England; and even the water cress,
though us leaves are not trif0late" The
question Is just as easy Of solution as the
iIue history Of the giant who threw the
CIoch stene across CaTHDgfOTd Tough,
leaving il IS q miracle in athletics on the
top CT che of tie MourEe Mountains.
The spiuning-wheel craze has apparently
reached San Francisco. 1t is quite becom-
ing one for yourg ladies vino never grow
old and who have pretty forms to display
with modest advantage before their innun-
cradle sultOTs or admirers. Nothing that
has passed into practical uselessness is so
admirably adapted for the purpose. Spin
wheels are no longer OF any valpe in
providing material for household clothing.
The progress OF invention has Onslgned them
70 The limbo Of things If not in oblivion at
least ID Ge>uetude. But as all accessory IF
conversation in room, by which while an
animated chat is maintained the cOnyerseF
may appear 10 be actually Industrious. as
no doubt she Ylslbly Is, no apparatus Of
modern discovery IS equal to the wheel.
Ihe tTeadle must be worked by the foot,
and tie foot ought 10 be pretty; the round
arms ana taper fingers are displayed in de-
Hgnuul abandon with the most natural
grace; the posture may be beNitchiug in
alternatlons OF position, and the head and
neck nave many a pretty turn While spin
nlng ana gossip or Irritation keep company.
1t is impossible to imagine an industrious
maiden driving the spinning whee when
alone; IL is pre-eminently sociable appar-
atus, only developing its full uselessness in
company. 1t lends itself with consummate
Illness TO the art OF appearing a housewife
devoted 10 domestic Joys and not languish-
ing tor the whlrl OF pleasures which excite
tie frivolous The utility Of the sewing
machine yanlshes compared with the spin
nlDg-wheel as an aid to display the
accomplishments OF polite training A
sewing machine is only vulgar mechanism
and besides it has most unpleasant rattle
or cTeak and Is sometimes TedOlent of vile
smelling oil. a sewing machine can only be
produced as an Illustration by means Of
photography. which itself is mechanical
and obsequious enough to do anything
it is put to. How would Penelope
look working a sewing machine? Be
sure her sultorS would fee in dismay and
invent much slaDdeTous tattie about her
but what lady at all shapely ever looked
otherwise than enhanced in beauty de-
murely seated by the side Of the spinning
wheel, and, perhaps, breaking into song as
tie spokes fash round and the fax is spun
with cheerful hum into thSead. At all times
the painters have delighted in such scenes
The Dutch genre painters redeemed much
Of their devotion to drinking Doors and ker-
mess hilari0usneSs by depicting subjects Of
this kind with their usual infatuated fidelity
70 detail. The poets, too, have not neglected
the sewing machine as no more suitable to
sweet thought and chaste expression than
the modern pianofoTte as compared with
the harp.
One of the commercial palaces of San
Francisco, on Post street, has a spinning
wheel for sale which is ayouched 10 be go
years old. 1t locks in admirable condition
yet, and is capable of spinning many a
yarn, whether its history be followed up or
lis mechanism be set IN action A history
IL must have, and somebody fond Of anti
quarian research should write it. How
many fair danes have t0iled at genuine
work over this ancient apparatus! In those
1aI-on days when IL WAS constructed the
world was very small aud very ignorant
about everything terrestrial and astro-
nOmicai, not to say celestial. At least half
the earth was UNEMPLOYED and almost un-
known in outline. The United States of
America was then in its colonial cradle and
very small one afforded ample room for
development until long afterward Aus
traia was too small to be dscernible to
navlgatOrs, Africa was little more than
what the ancients knew il to be-
feopie were stlii living who had been
brought up in the belief that the earth is
fiat and that the armament has been framed
10 go round it in Difference to its princi-
paIity: Charles the First was engaged in
that obstinate divine-right strife with his
subjects which cost him his foolish head.
Europe was under a cloud of des
potism. In those dismal times food
was scarce and coarse; the means
OF loeomCtion made journeys now last