Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
THE LOWLY CLOVER
ITS PLACE IN SUPERSTITION AND LEG
ENDS ABOUT 1T.

ITS PLACE IN SUPERSTITION AND Lex
ENDS ABOUT 1T.
Calvary Glover Seems Entitled to Its Nam
Clover With Four Leaves Il Believe
Everywhere to Bring Good Luck-Th
Little Plant Revered by Poets,
The most probable origin of the nam
clover is that which derives it from th
Latin clava-clubs- the clover lea
slightly resembles the three pronge
club of Hercules. It is said, too, ths
the clubs of our playing cards are
imitation of the same leaf. There a,
many varieties of this common but ia
vorite plant, and, Notwithstanding il
practical uses in agriculture, about
| superstition has woven many quaint an
interesting legends.
The common red clover was once re
puted to be banefu1 to witches, and peo
pie Of high and low degree wore th
leaf, considering it a powerful charm
against their spells. It is supposed t,
have been introduced into England from
the Netherlands during the reign O
Queen Elizabeth.
The thorny clover (Medicago eclumis
is called Calvary clover on account O
some of its peculiarities In the frs
place, it must be sowed in the spring
and some say on Good Friday! As tn,
leaves appear above ground they have
deep red spot, resembling fresh spill
blood, on each Of their three divisions
which will remain for some time before
dying away. The three leaflets stano
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 in prayer. After. a time
small yellow flower appears, and Later
a spiral pod, covered with sharp thorns.
These thorns interlace with one another
as they ripen and form a globular head,
which when fully matured may be re-
moved from its spiral coils, and the
striking resemblance to crown OF
thorrs is plalLiy seen. Thus it's blood
stained leaves, its extended arms and
bowed head and the day when the seed
was frst planted to await it's resurr, :
ton have caused i to be ~hristened Cal
vary clover. 1t is fittli.s;, TOO, that Pales-
tine should be claimed as its native
land.
Legend says chat the tnrCe leaved
clover, generally regarued as aa er.blem
Of the Trinity was first used by st.
Patrick to illustrate how three separate
objects, such - leaves could yet form
Qpe Those deeply versed in legendary
lore, however; slaim that st. Patrick
borrowed rather than Or 6fiE IE;iiiaasted the
sanctity of the shamrock (Medicago 1u-
pulina), held in the hand Of Hope
among the Greeks, when he thus illus
trated the Trinity in 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. It has been asserted
that it was still more ancient religious
symbol and expressed among the an
cient Teutonic race the three grades Of
druids, bards and neophytes. The
druids held the clover in great honor
as charm. Hope was depicted by the
ancients as a child standing on tiptoe
and holding clover bloom in it's hand.
But it is in connection with the four
leaved clover that manifold myths have
been developed. Owing to its scarcity it
has generally been believed that it
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,
'Tis luck for thee and luck for me
And luck for any lover.
IF 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-
terious powers with it if it is found on
st. Johns eve, they say in the Tyrol.
Like fern seed, it can render the wearer
invisible at will and gives especial good
fortune in gambling. If clover is con-
cealed in gift, it will enhance it's
value. A German proverb says Of a
lucky man, "Er hat Elm vierblaettriges
Kleeblatt gefunden'' CHE has found a
four leaved clover').
The fact that its four leaves are ar
ranged in the form of cross gives it its
significance. One who wears bit Of it
can detect the presence Of evil spirits.
While the four 1eaved clover is said
by tradition to possess weird magic
influence, the three leaved is looked
upon more in the light of a religious
symbol. Shakespeare's Rosalind asks,
"Can one desire too much Of a good
thing?" and may be answered, "Yes, in
respect to clover leaves, F" 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 un-
regarded, but has its legend, and the
lucky maid who secures one is by its
influence enabled to see her future lover.
The lowliest blossoms have always
called forth the poets praises, and even
Shakespeare alludes to the clover as
''honey stalks''-a fitting name, as the
bees revel in its sweetness. James
Whitcomb Riley holds it in greater es-
TEEN than many more brilliant flowers,
and to quote one stanza from his poem:
Bome sing Of the lily and daisy and rose
And the pansies and pinks that the summer
time throws
In the green, grassy lap Of the medder that
lays
Blinkin up at the skies through the sunshiny
days.
But what is the lily and all of the rest
OF the flowers to man with heart in his
breast
That has dipped brimmin full Of the honey
and dew
OF the sweet clover blossoms his boyhood
knewp
IN. R. Silsby in New York Post.