The Lake Charles echo., 1893-09-08


round q beautiful garden in one Of our
southern cities. With mind and body
almost worn threadbare with the tnr
mol Of the day, and feeling the need
ofrest, I hled me away to this pleas
antspot 70 gain new life, as it were,
from the children Of Nature.
The fair inhabitants of that delight
fnl plat we're half hidden by the shad
Ows Of evening; but yon conld almost
tell where each bad its resting place,
by the faint, subtle perfume waited on
the summer breeze.
In . viHe.clsd summerhouse chose
arsstlng place; As the noise Of the day
died away in the distance my mind
became tranquil ] wonder not thai
in early ages the forest with its thou
sands Of wild flowers, telling of the
existence of an omnipotent Being,
was selected as Goods first Temple.
Giving myself up to the beauties of
the scene around me, ] was somewhat
startled when low, soft voice broke
the stillness. 1t seemed to pruceed
from rose bnsh 10 the shadow of my
bower, and collecting my scattered
ssBses / heard this appeal:
"My friend of the garden, have
been thinking At Wonld be pleasant
if each, or as many as feel disposed,
would tell from whence she eums
and what share she has in mans life,
IN giving comfort aud assistance, aside
from the pleasure she affords hIm,n
BY this time my ears were open tn
drink in any information to be received
from the lips of the flowers themselves.
The suggestion Was hailed with iry
by each and every inhabrtant of that fair
garden. As the Rose was the first to pro
pose the entertainment, they clamored
for her story FIRST. II was as follows:
by the ancients / was held sacred
TO Cupid and Venus, and was also con
sldered the emblem of joy and love
My half opened buds we're the poetic
image of innocence and purity, Ny
family is large one, and have their
respective homes in many countries.
bntI will only give an account of
those most commonly fOund among
you. The Hundred Leaf Rose has for
Its native heath the Cancasns, and to
the aneients il was better known than
any member of my family. 1t is no.
exeslled BY any other in quality of
Perfnme. The Damask, a monthly
Rose, is from Northern Africa, and has
been known in EnrOpe since the 18th
century. The Alpine Rose is a native
of the Alps and many other mountain
chains of Europe. The Indian Ru-e
comes from the home of John ChIna
man. America has her share of my
kindred in a yet nnculLivated state
To give pleasure by our beauty is not
allof our Office in this life. From my
French cOnsins the bud and petals are
nsed in manufacturing rose water and
also q syrup. By sleeping our VelvetI
petals IN vinegar, there is obtained
''Fose vinegar, and when my friends in
the hnman family suffer with headache,
this vinegar if applied, will drive the
pain from temple and brow, thereby
scansing man TO be doubly thankful
toGod fornot leaving us ont when
earth was planted by the hand of its
Maker"
When the Rose had finished her
story of nativity and uses, il was de-
cided that each plant would take up th,
thread Of history without hesitation.
On q slenderly constructed trelIls
grew a Passion Flower, and with II.
sigh Of gladuess, or sorrow, ] knew
not winch, she began.
'My parents are Americans, and
when the Indians were rulers of thu
beautiful land, / was nameless, bul
when the early Spanish settlers CANE
TO find home across the seas, they
gave nc my name--and why, you ask9
! laWoke 10 their minds remembrance
Of Chrlst's snffsrlngs; m rrofed ~ my
face they saw the crown Of thorns in
the tilamentous processes; the nail
shaped styles we're TO them the nails
Of the Cross; the FIVE antbers, the
marks Of wonnds; and 30 they named
me Passion Flower" InJamaica one
member of my family is used 10 max
ing q tinclnre called 'Dutchmsn's
Laudannm, often substituted for the
landanum proper
The voice Of the Passion Flower
died sway, and by the rays Of the
silver moonlight / cav q stately Sun
flower who had been watching ihe
departure Of the king of the day, lfr
her goldeH-cFpwned bead, and / knew
her story would next be told. In
proud tone came the woFds
81 too, am American born, and in
very southern localities ] attain b
height Of ten or twelve feet, my
flowers often measuring one to two
feet in diameter could almost ser
look Of proud dlsdaln in her eye
while these words were being uttered
"To man / am valuable. Take
bushel Of my plump seed, and they
will cover an aeFe of ground Well
cultivated, the plsnls will yield fifty
bushels Of grain, from which can b.
extracted fifty gallons Of oil only
little inferior TO olive oil. To early
days tbe Indiana made bread from the
seed I'd Central Europe there Il
manufactured emuIsions, and q foo.
for Infants from the same Ronrce. My
noMera are rich 10 honey, and my
STEMS aud stalks contain much potash
My foliage mako good fodder fol
catIle, nnd 10 Wooaless eouutFies
aafFe 90 fuel
Altef tlils lengthy speech from the
hnnllower, voice Haa heard, 90 aofl
y ~ tones that one Was reminded 81
dielant music.
Aasillng 81 tls feet of the sur
fower aud half hidden BY ils br0ad
ieaves, Was bed Of Nioleis Strain.
iag ny ear % catch each word. VAS
fnily repaid BIZ hearing this from
d0War whose niodeety end swget1ess
poass q II ages hage sung.