Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-26
THE SIGNS OF SPRING.
THE GREAT DIFFERENCE IN
COUNTRY AND CITY.
Hunting Wild F1owers-The Legend
of tho Arbutus-Happy Days-A
s+rax of Names-some Curious
Ones.
Correspondence OF the Dispatch)
ALTON, VA, April "A.
Ones.
eve were seeking but arbutus,
-. ct. ao,,e,bfpO love and L.

1--WE were seeking but arbutus,
My fair. laughing love and L.
Nor would even violetS suit us,
Tho tinged with the blue OF the SKY
Only those who live in the country really
know what spring means To city FOLK
the change comes more as matter OF
convenience in moving about the Streets
as a difference In the garments they WEAR
or. possibly, in their physical conditions
The flower shops are brilliant with BIOS
SONG Of course, and the women are
bright with new toilets. But In town the
solar rays and the whitewash man herald
the glad season. AS long as the weath1r
is cloudy and chill the difference IS not
so perceptible. When the sun comes out
clear and bright for few hours ana
windows go up in ell directions. with tur-
banod heads lobbing here and there ana
the lime artist. with bucket and brush III
hand. appears as IL by magic, ana IN
st,nctively seeks the house upon when
the sun shines brightest, you know ina.
even in the great city the last cold sDeii
is broken. The spirit Of spring, for some
reason. strays beyond the circle OF
hr,ck and mortar. and beckons
where II is too tlmid to directly
annroach. In country places one
goes out TO meet 1t, and searches
for the signs which are In the ar anu
all about us where the pulses OF Nature
move. Suddenly, without warning. there
"a a change In the mood which possesses
MS: we long for a touch of Mother Eartn
With an almost supernatural affinity; ana
we turn lovingly 10 mans primeVal pirth-
nlace-the forests. In the early spring the
woods have a fascination people never
outgrow. ,,ou, ,ha
yorv trees seem to have a distinct vitality,
and the bursting buds glow with sense
NJ life and warmth. OF renewal ana nap
illness. that make il bliss to live! where
the ground is yet untrodden. save by those
yelyet-feet pedestrians, the rappits anu
the SQUIRRELS, and back In the deep places
ths leaves ARE clinging from long-melted
. SHOWS!
THIS THE TINE.
This is the time to go in search OF arbu-
tus There Is legend among the Saxons
that a dying maiden changed into the
first arbutus: that the snow was tmck
,,non the ground In winter. but she babe
w. lover seek through 1t for blooming
aower and he would know that she was
rasr. and that since that time arbutus
has been the type OF immortality This Is
pretty. but hardly true. Arbutus blooms
through the snow. but not until the sun
1--WE warm outside the shady bed II
Chooses for its hiding place; even then II
is pinker and more fragrant II 1t can
and some sunny spot where the light
comes down to brighten up the winter
srsen leaves and encourage Its first shy
greeting TO the open year
THESE are happy days when girls and
boys together go out some early afternoon
70 hunt for the first wild flowers. when We
,raad unon carpets, such as mortal weaver
never spun. and hear the thousand sounds
Of the untouched woods, when even the
city people would forget for q TIME thas
electric lights had ever shone upon them.
or high society hedged their ways about.
And presently some girlish voice rings out
that the treasure is found. Leaves and
vines are pushed aside and the trailing
arbutus lifted from It's messy bed. The
dear little pink faces. how they welcome
Us With their perfumed breath a. the