Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1896-07-01
IHE LOWLY CLOVER.
ITS PLACE IN SUPERSTITION AND LEG
ENDS ABOUT 1T.

Clover With -Four Leaves Is Believed
Everywhere to Bring Good Luck-The
Little Plant Revered by Poets.
The most probable origin of the name
clover is that which derives it from the
Latin clava-clubs-as the clover leaf
slightly resembles the three pronged
club of Hercules. 1t is said, too, that
the clubs of our playing cards are in
imitation Of the same leaf. There are
many varieties of this common but IA
vOrite plant, and, notwithstanding its
practical uses i'll agriculture, about it
superstition has woven many quaint and
interesting legends
The common red clover was once re-
puted to be baneful to witches, and peo-
pie of high and low degree wore the
leaf, considering it a powerful charm
against their spells. It is supposed to
have been introduced into England from
the Netherlands during the reign of
Queen Elizabeth.
The thOrny clover (Medicago eclumis)
is called Calvary clover ON account Of
some of it's peculiarities. In the first
place, it must be sOwed in the spring,
and some say on Good Friday! AS the
leaves appear above ground they have
deep red spot, resembling fresh split
blood, on each of their three divisions
which will remain for some time before
dying away. The three leaflets stand
erect during the day with arms extended.
but at sunset the arms are brought to-
| gether, and the upper leaflet is bowed
over them as if i'll prayer. After q time
a small yellow flower appears, and later
a spiral pod, covered with sharp thorns.
| These thOrns interlace with one another
as they ripen and form globular head,
which when fully matured may be re-
moved from its spiral coils, and the
striking resemblance to a crown of
thOrns is plainly seen. Thus it's blood
stained leaves, its extended arms and
bowed head and the day when the seed
was first planted to await its resurTec-
ton have caused it to be christened Cal
vary clover 1t is fitting, too, that Pales-
tine should be claimed as its native
land.
Legend says that the three leaved
clover, generally regarded as an emblem
of the Trinity, was first used by st.
Patrick to illustrate how three separate
objects, such as leaves, could yet form
one. Those deeply versed i'll legendary
lore, however, claim that st. Patrick
borrowed rather than originated the
sanctity of the shamrock (Medicago lu-
pullman, held in the hand Of Hope
| l,o L. =,
trated the Trinity i'll its three or found
the cross in its four leaves.
In the east also the trefOil is sacred,
as the holy books Of Persia and Arabia
tell, and the legend of st. Patrick driv-
ing the snakes out of Ireland has more
ancient root, for the Latins believed
that snakes were never seen near the
trefoil. So if st. Patrick wore it he
was invested with additional power to
Danish these invaders. DR.. Prior says
that this plant is regarded in Ireland as
the true shamrock 1t has been asserted
that it was still more ancient religious
symbol and expressed among the an
clent TeutOnic race the three grades of
druids, bards and neophytes. The
druids held the clover i'll great honor
as a charm. Hope was depicted by the
ancients as child standing on tiptoe
and holding q clover bloom i'll its hand.
But it is i'll connection with the four
leaved clover that manifold myths have
been developed. Owing to its scarcity it
has generally been believed that il
would bring luck to the finder. This
superstition is referred to in this old
stanZa:
When sitting in the grass we see
A little four leaved clover,
It's luck for thee and luck for me
And luck for any lover.
If a lover can find two four leaved
clOvers and induce the object of his love
to eat one while he swallows the other,
mutual love is sure to result.
The four leaved clover brings mys-
FERROUS powers with it if it is found on
st. Johns eve, they say i'll the TyrOl.
Like fern seed, it can render the weare1
invisible at will and gives especial good
fortune i'll gambling. If a clover is con-
cealed i'll a gift, it will enhance its
value. A German proverb says of g
lucky man, En- hat elm vierblaettriges
Kleeblatt gefunden" (''He has found g
four leayed clOver"l
The fact that its four leaves are al.
ranged in the form. of a cross gives it its
significance. One who wears q bit of il
can detect the presence Of evil spirits.
While the four leaved clover is sale
by tradition to possess a weird magic
influence, the three leaved is looked
upon more in the light of religion.
symbol. Shakespeare's Rosalind asks,
Can one desire too much of a gooC
thing?" and may be answered, eyes, il
respect to clover leaves" for, notwith
standing the wonderful virtues every
where ascribed to the four leaved clover
the finder OF the five leaved will have
bad luck.
Even the two leaved clover is not IN
regarded, but has its legend, and the
lucky maid who secures one is by it.
influence enabled to see her future lover
The lOwliest blossoms have alwayl
called forth the poets praises, and even
Shakespeare alludes to the clover a,
Honey stalk3"-a fitting name, as thu
bees revel III its sweetness. Jarne
Whltcomb Riley holds it in greater es
TEEN than mary more brilliant flowers
and to quote one stanza from his poem
Some sing Of the lily and daisy and rose
, And the pansies and pinks that the sumne
time throws
In the green, grassy lap of the medder tina
= lays
, Blinkin up at the skies through the sunsfin.
days.
But what is the lily and all Of the rest
> = .
breast
That has dipped brinmin full of the hone
and dew
IT the sweet clover blossoms his boyhOs
knew
: M. r. Silsby in New York Post.