Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1898-05-11
A FLOWER LEGEND.

The delicate fragrance of the trailing
srbutus (Epigaa repens) and the futile
attempts of the skilled florist to raise
the plant in garden and greenhouse rem
der this sweetest of wild flowers an OBJ
lect of interest to all lovers of plant life.
Early in the month of March the
trailing arbutus of the south puts forth
Its rose tinted blossoms, but far up in
the Pine Tree State it sometimes
blooms as late as July. Ii grows in pro-
fusion throughout the New England
group of states, especially near the coast
knd in the valley of the Connecticut.
There it has received the name of the
may chiefly from the poetical as
kociation of the name of the vessel
(which brought the pilgrims TO Plymouth
rock. The Puritans, 1t seems, called it
the trailing arbutus because its blossoms
lresembled those of the strawberry tree.
Tor arbutus. In the southland it is called
the ground sweet or ground laurel.
The trailing arbutus is found along
1.-THE Atlantic coast as far south as the
ICarolinas, sometimes III great fields,
more often in small patches, while in
| same places in New York and in the
valley of the Susquehanna acres of the
| hillsides are covered in April with the
| fragrant ar butus blossom l. Is also
| fmnd on the south shore OF Lake Su-
1 perior.
| The following beautiful legend con-
| e,rning the origin of the trailing arbu-
rms Is oathered frop, the legendary lore
| OF the Indians:
| NJ, o., many moons ago, in his
L...1 lodge beside an ice CENTRALIZED
| -..u there lived an old, old man.
4 re clad in heavy furs, for without
his lodge it's eerie wind Went searching
| through th. forest for the hapless chill
| dren of the void.
| The old nan went about searching
| for pieces of wood to keep up the ire,
| but returned from his fruitless quest,
and sitting dawn by the last expiring
| embers crie, tothe great Mannaboosha
that he might lot die.
And, 10. tue wind blew aside the door
| of the lodge and before his astopished
| eyes there appeared a most beautiful
| maiden, with cheeks rivaling the blush
| of the will rose w hen wooed by her low
er, the wanton west wind. The maiden
| eyes were large and beautiful, her hair
her headdress the many colored wild
towers, her clothing the sweet grasses
md delicate fronds of the fern, her moe
| asins the lilies white and her breath a
fragrance delightful, filling the lodge
With warmth and perfume.
The old man recovered from his as
enlistment and hastened to welcome
be beautiful maiden. My child, said
h, Il bid You welcome. My lodge is
old and cheerless tut it will give you
better from the storm without Tell
ne from whence you come and why do
'ou visit me in such strange apparel!
Come, sit here and let me hear of your
.ouptry, and l will tell you of my con-
quests, for am the mighty Manitou. y
The old man filled his pipe, and when
the smoke bad warmed his heart he
said: 81 ATTN Manitou. Lo, when
breathe the rivers forget the call OF
their mothee, the ocean, and remain
mute and ru0tionless.
Il shake thy head said the visitor,
''and the summer rains bless the flow
lers and the growing grain"
The old man said when l walk
labroad, the leaves fall from the tree:
land carpet my pathway. At the SOUND
Iof my voice the birds and beasts seek
their hiding places, and the wild fow
lbegin their fight to the southern CLINE. ,
| The maiden said. Wherever / tread
1.-THE tiny plants break through their darl
iprison walls, the trees burst into Leaf
land bloom, the birds return from exile
and everywhere there is JOY and glad
mess.
L 81 ~ - ~, Lode
became warm and the great Manitol
fell asleep. The sun came out from be
hind the dark clouds and from the to-
of the lodge blue bird called to tn
awakening stream:
"Sayee, sayee, / am thirsty" Re
leased from its icy thraldom, the brook
let answered: Il am free. Come am
drink -
Aud while the old man slept tn
maiden passed her hands, bright Wit
the sheen Of the willow buds, above hi
head, and he began to grow very small
| Water flowed from his mouth. and 500
there was naught to be seen OF tn
mighty Manitou. Then bending low tn
| maiden took from her bosom the sweet
est and most precious of flowers and ri
| them all about under the dead leaves
| Breathing upon them. she said
ITO thee | give all my virtues an
my sweetest breath. and whosver Soul
| pick thee shall do so On Bonded knee
Then the maiden departed from tn
lodge of Manitou, and such was th
magic Of her presence that wherever he
mocassin touched the earth and nowheI
else there grows the trailing arhutus--
Ripple Dix Smith Ben Ardys1 IN II
dianapolis Journal
The stock of Bank of Englan
notes which are paid in five year
ILLS 1890 boxes. which. if place
aide by side, would reach over tw
miles. If the notes themselves wei
placed IN pile. they would reach |
a height of tive miles They weig
90 tons and represent 81. $50, ooo. CO.