The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1893-04-29
ORR NATIONAL FLOWER.

high time that we were Die 10 uispi"y
a national floral emblem.
But when we consider how momel-
tous a question the adoption oil coiorS
and of a motto in q young ladies' or gen
tlemen's literary society IS, can we
wonder that the time allotted to II nun
bred wears growth of q full pledged
nation has passed ere we have arrived
at u decision.
Athens is known by her violet, a
beautiful emblem, Egypt by her lotus,
Spain by her pomegranate, France by
her 6eur-de-lis, England her rose, Ire
land her shamrock, and Scotland her
thistle. Let our country be known by
her Indian corn.
There are several theories as to the
adoption by France of the tleur-de-lis.
A well known tradition attributes it to
Clovis L, saying it represents a lilly,
given at his baptism, by an angel. The
three heur-de-lis represent the Trinity.
Newton thought it was a representation
of u reed or flag used i'll place of a
sceptre at the proclamation of the Frank
ish kings. By others it is thought that
this was the shape Of the head of an
ancient French javelin. 1t is also said
that Notwithstanding these theories the
1eur-de-lis was early employed as an
o~rnamentation of robes, sceptres, ect.,
not only by the Merovingian, but also
by the Greek, Roman, Spanish, German
and English kings, and that it is accur-
ately carved in the ~head-dresses of the
Egyptian sphinxes.
In regard to Ireland's emblem, it is
thought by some that st. Patrick used
the shamrock leaf as an illustration OF
the Trinity, and that for this reason it
was adopted by ireland. The elder
Pliny declared that a serpent would not
touch Shamrock: 1t is a well estab-
lished fact that there are no serpents in
Ireland. Whether this fact has any
connection with Ireland's adoption OF
shamrock we leave the reader to con-
lecture.
AS expressed in the Ladies' Home
| Journal the plant adopted as our en-
blem should be purely American, wide
spread, distinct in character, and rich
i'm association" All of these require
ments, it truly says, are met in maze.
For some reasons the oak would be a
suitable emblem, significant of the
strength, beauty and courage of our
nation. But the oak is not peculiar to
America. Goldenrod, which is strongly
advocated by some, would be a dainty
emblem, and when in autumn its golden
blossoms cover the fields as with a gar
ment, it seems one fair and suitable.
But its rich blossoms carry not home to
to the heart of the people the thoughts
suggested by the oak, much less those
suggested by maize. Corn has deep
suggestions apart from its great beauty.
1t is a stately plant; and as the lights
and shadows come and go a field of
waving corn is regal in appearance-to
many q sight as attractive as the dan
cling daffodils were to Wordsworth.
Growing corn too, particularly after a
shower, is fragrant. The Parisians and
Germans, and perhaps other Europeans,
cultivate it simply IS an ornament.
Edna Proctor, in her poem, "Columbia's
Emblem" wildly suggests to the mind
.'beauteous corn, with its banners OF
green and tasseied sheen"
This is the season in which corn crops
are being planted. Many an acre in
this broad west has recently had its
bosom upturned to the light of the sun
and has received the golden grain en-
trusted to its keeping, which a hundred
years ago was broken only in patches by
the shells and sticks of degraded Indian
women, or which unbroken at all sound
ed and echoed back to silence the
buffaloe's gallop or the warriors yell.
There is a pleasing lesson i'll this seed
time. Our greatest blessings come at a
price. The face of the earth is ruth
Iessly torn open only that she may re-
ceiye the germs of a new and beautiful
life, only that when the shades OF
autumn come she may wear a crown of
glory. Then, too, from the upturned
earth we catch a freshness, a joy, a
a hidden life, of which the bare, bleak
exterior showed no sign.
AS with a merry whistle or a CHEEKY
song he has prepared the soil and drop
ped in the wondrous seed, how many a
farmer lad has opened his heart to the
lessons of his own inner life-the lesson
of the resurrection! How often when
he has become a man have not his heart
and mind, hand in hand, wandered back
to the old loved scenes, and fingered
with a tender yearning around the spots
where so much of hard yet happy work
has been performed; happy because
mitigated by its accompaniment of pure
thoughts which have soothed the troub-
led streams of life as the ear is soothed
by the cooling of a dove. The nobility
of many a mans character has been
made hardy by just such surroundings.
Here he learned lessons of patience and
industry and faith.
In our farms lies the hope of our
country. Our farmers are the backbone
of our nation. We are formed of dust,
and all that we have, materially speak
ing of course, must come from the same
source. The farmers interest, if that
of any one, should be cherished. Let
the crops fail and the hum of the facto-
nv is hushed. What better emblem,
| then, could be adopted for this loved
country of ours than maize? Its appeal
to mans aesthetic natSlre, the hardihood
and ennoblement derived from its cul-
ture, and above all its being the most
important factor of the industry which
is the foundation stone of our nation,
plead its eminent fitness as al emblem.
''The rose may bloom for England,
The lily for France unfold;
Ireland may honor the shamrock,
Scotland her thistle bold;
But the shield OF the great republic,
The glory OF the west,
Shall bear a stalk OF tasseled corn,
or all our wealth the best.
The arbutus and the golden rod
The heart of the north may cheer,
And the mountain laurel for Maryland
Its royal clusters rear;
Ana jasmine and magnolia
The crest of the south adorn;
But the wide republics emblem
Is the bounteous. golden corn"