Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-27

FEJ W(t///. twined epoch in the
LtT INK nations history, when
| sfM.,t$sr"H ~ pansies for thoughts,
| .;I7&& XeE GEN rosemary for remem-
"lIAA e. T0>. brance. myrtle for love
| HNSNT. and amaranths, bright
emblems of blessed
immortality, are mingled with sad view and
mourning cyress above the hearts of the heroes
who sleep, each in windowess palace of rest.
Nearly three decades have passed since the
first order for this flower memorial for the
dead went forth. Year by year the sad. sweet
custom has grown in favor. and year by wear
the flag marked mounds have increased until
"a soldier OF the Union mustered out" SAUNDERS
on every hill side and sleeps in every valley. In
all this broad land there is no city of silence
that has not at least one war-worn veteran who
has turned in at his last tattoo. For them and
Tor the thousands OF unknown heroes,
Who rest where they wearied
| natures dear children, sun nurtured and rain
kissed, fragrant with sweet perfumes and dew
gemmed, are laid upon the altar of remem-
| brance. consecrated memorial tribute of
earth's brightest and purest gifts to the ma
| tons bravest and best
This memorial custom grown to the grandeur
OF national holiday in this country is almost
as old as the human race. 1t is a pagan GUS
u.
Among the ancients of the earth flowers were
pagan gods and goddesses pelsonfied The
souls OF these deities came to earth reincarnated
as roses and lilies, MS grass and forest trees
bees aud birds and blossoms. and mnistered to
| the senses and passions much as when in the
carnal state. The modest violet was to the
Greeks the incarnation of Ia. the daughter of
| Midas who was changed to the little blue
| flower to hide her from Apollo. The daisy,
winch symbolizes innocence, WAS coquetting
10 NIA,, -
nate lover was turned to the ''lovers fortune
teller The cypress,
| Dark tree! still sad when others grief is fed
| The only constant mourner DER the dead"
was. according to Ovid, the youth Cyparissos,
the bosom friend Of Apollo. He accidentally
killed favorite stag day while hunting.
and In passion OF grief prayed the gods that
his mourning might be made perpetual. In
answer to his prayer he changed into a
| cypress tree. and in remembrance of him the
ancients made much of the cypress at their
funerals. One of its characteristics is that when
once cut to earth it will never flourish nor
growagain, as most other trees do. This was also
symbolical to them, for they believed that we
Soon. as the hand of death has closed our eyes.
ia tomDs forgotten lie; no suns restore.
We sleep. forever sleep. to wake no more"
CYPRESS AND yEw FOR GRAVES
In accordance with tins idea the ancients
planted the cypress near their tombs The
Turks placed it at the head and foot Of their
graves, and there were other nations who
planted 1t upon the grave itself. believing that
| the body nourished 1t.
The yew tree has always been in all nations
an emblem of sorrow. Its bare trunk and dark
| foliage. with its fruit like drops of blood i'm
presses the beholder with its melancholy aspect
at once 1t is strange tree. Its juice is
poisonous and the tree exhausts the soil which
supports it and destroys all other plants which
spring up beneath it. The Greeks found in il
| the personification OF the unhappy Smilax who
loved young Crocus. When she found her love
| rejected she desired to Withdraw from the
society of the gods and was transformed into a
yew, which since that time has symbolized sor-
row. The yew. like the cypress, was much es-
| teemed by the ancients as a typical tree
to shade the tombs OF the dead and used it pro-
| fusely In their cemeteries. where branches could
be easily procured on the days set apart by Gus.
tom for the decoration OF the graves Some
Roman, dying, said:
| Such offerings as you have.
| forssken cypress and sad eve.
| For nder flowers can take no birth
i or Erowth from Oh unhappy earth.
The early Christian denounced unqualifiedly
the use OF flowers at either festivals or funerals
on account Of the pagan symbolism OF the bios.
SONS used. Tertullian wrote book denoun.
cling crowns and garlands. Clement of Alex
andria thought it improper that Christians
should crown themselves with roses. but after.
| ward they adopted the custom and the Chris
tian poet Prudence invited his brethren ito
cover with violets and with verdure and to sur
| round with perfumes those bones which the
voice Of the All-Powerful would one dav restore
to life." These early Christians carried in their
hands Ivy, sprigs OF laurel, rosemary other
| evergreens as emblems OF the immortality OF
the soul. They threw these into the grave
| before the coffin was lowered to signify that
they who die In Christ do not to live:
for though rs to the body they die to the world
yet as to their souls; they live and revive to God
| They cast upon the grave bay leaves. which
symbolized immortality. Thus in accepting
the symbolic meaning of the plants mentioned
| they chrlstianlzed pagan custom, for in re-
jecting the cypress and yew. which typified to
most pagan minds the souls eternal sleep, and
adopting these plants which in pagan mythol-
ogy breathed OF higher lie, they adopted
the historical and mythical origin of the SYM
boil. The ivy, sacred to Osiris, svmbolizes con-
stancy, but to the Egyptians it typified the
resurrection or Mt least higher life. The
Greeks and Romans consecrated the laurel to
glory, yet 1t typlfied the light-of-love Apollo
who. when he could not win the vlrtuous
Daphne. changed her to a laurel tree. Rose
mary had no heather ancestry. but it much
esteemed by the ancients OF all nations. 1t
was used at feasts and funerals, the christen-
| ing cup was stirred with il and it was worn at
marriage ceremonies. 1t believed that
Rosemary had a preventative virtue against
pestilential distempers, and that is probably
why 1t was always in demand at funerals. The
Romans and Greeks burned it in the chamber
| OF death along with frankincensc. 1t was also
! planted on the grave and used in tho mem
orial services held at stated periods. In flow err
language. which had its origin in the twilight
| OF history, rosemary stands for .'remem-
brance, and Shakespeare accepts this when he
makes his sweet maniac Ophelia say:
| There's rosemary: that's for remembrance.
pray you. love. remember"
THE ROMANS PASSION FOR FLOWERS.
The Romans of ancient days were born
voluptuaries and flowers was one of their
greatest passions. Living, they lavished start
ling sums upon the gratifying of this passion,
and in death they asked to be surrounded by
flowers. The dead were placed upon couches
OF flowers and were crowned with roses the
passage of the funeral procession was laid thick
with flowers; flowers lined the tomb. and If the
earth covered the dead from sight the rough
| made mound was hidden from view under car
pets of flowers. Curious wills vet in existence
show the love that people had for flowers. A
| French lady bequeathed to the Academy of
Toulouse large income, exclusively for the
celebration of floral games. The will also re-
CURED that every three years. on the day of
| Of tba A.