Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-07-13
THE LOVELY CLOVER.
ITS PLACE IN SUPERSTITION AND Leg
ENDS ABOUT IT.

calvary C1OTer Seems Entitled to 1tS Name.
Clover With Four Les Il Believed |
Everywhere to Bring Good Luck-The !
Little Plant Revered BY Posts.
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 in 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 powerful charm
| against their spells. 1t 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
|
| place, it must be sowed in the spring,
and some say on Good Friday! As the
leaves appear above ground they have
a 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 leaf1et is bowed
over them as if in prayer. After a time
4 small yellow flower appears. and later
Il 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 q crown of
thorns is plainly seen. Thus its blood
stained leaves, its extended arms and
bowed head and the day when the seed
was first planted to await its resurrec-
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 in 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
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 We're never seen near the
trefoil So if st. Patrick Wore it he
was invested with additional power to
Danish these invaders. DIR. Prior says
that this plant is regarded in Ireland as
the true shamrock. 1t has been asserted
that it was q 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
l. as charm. Hope was depicted by the
ancients as child standing on tiptot
: and holding clover bloom in its hand
But it is in connection with the foul
t leaved clover that manifold myths hav,
u been developed. Owing to its scarcity i
has generally been believed that i
J. would bring luck to the finder. Thi
81 superstition is referred to in this OLE
stanZa:
n When sitting in the grass we see
nj A little four leaved clover,
in TITS luck for thee and luck for me
ID And luck for any lover.
I'll If o lover can find two four leave,
clovers and induce the object Of his Low
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 O.
St. Johns eve, they say in the Tyrol
, Like fern seed, it can render the weare
: invisible at will and gives especial goo
fortune in gambling. If a clover is con
cealed in gift, it will enhance ii
value. A German proverb says Of
lucky man, "Er hat Elm vierblaettrige
Kleeblatt gefunden' (''He has found