Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1899-03-16
Flower $mdiss."Cbe Btpatiea.

IS awaited, ii Is the most appreciated OF
the early vernal blossoms. And there
is good reason for preierring this sim
pie flower with its faint perfume and
star-liko appearance BECAUSE it is the
sure harbinger of the beautiful days to
come when the trees will renew their
green vesture and the cicada will merri-
ly chirp among the waving grasses. Be-
sides that, after the cold and chilling
blasts OF rigorous winter have played
all the mischief they could for the
space of several months, we instructive
ly begin to long for the sight of some
flower, however simple it may be, and
as tho days glide on, our expectations
are increased.
How delightful it is to loiter along
some woodland path, with your mind
unoppressed by any of the sordid and
soul-debasing cares that haunt our dali
y life, but on the contrary exalted and
enthused by the wonders that are
strewn there so lavishly by kind Ma
tures liberal hand. The mind flies
back to old recolloctions, and each flow
er, bush or shrub has its own particular
memory. Every stone has an allusion,
and even that squirrel yonder who
makes himself the cynosure of your at
tention as he nimbly runs up that tall
hickory, chatters in a language that is
not unintelligible. In your ordinary
pursuits these things do not happen so.
The trees do not whisper to one anoth-
er, the squirrel does not chatter, and
the brook does not babble, but once out
in the quiet woods again, the language
of the forest strikes responsive chord
in your willing heart.
March 9th was the gala day on which
found my first hepatica. The shy lit
tie blossom was half hidden in an eddy
OF dry leaves that had collected beside
the trunk Of prostrate oak. ltseemed
pity to break It's fragile stem and end
life that seemed so innocent and hap
py, but the impulse was the deed, re-
grets were useless. and ere returned
home many another blossom had shared
! its sisters untimely fate.
o the woods, the happy woods! How
divine they looked in the warm sun
shine that foated down like a benodic-
| tion that sunny afternoon. How softly
| the pines murmured as il holding con-
versation. Somehow or other they al
ways remind me OF wind harps and Or
pheus and his tabled power OF moving
rocks and trees, and am Of the opinion
| that the pines have never ceased to echo
his song, but have repeated itso many
times that it is now part of their ma
ture. Enough of such musings! Let
us come back to us hepatic@, which
have much more to teach US than the
Greek gods and goddesses, besides be-
ing much more satisfactory.
The hepatica is frcquenter Of the
hills and mountains, and is found in
the greatest profusion in those warm
and sunny hooks where freezing blasts
may not chill their tender buds. In
fact, so careful are they in coming tc
life that they make their appearance by
degrees, as it we're, sending out first a
slender shaft which bears a single
blossom, while the leaves and the other
buds remain closely enveloped in the
warm mould as il watching the success
OF their first venture. 1t almost seem'
as il this solitary flower had been sen
out to mako observations upon the
the weather probabilities before going
any further. For, IL the indications
are for fine weather and there is NJ
danger Of freezing blasts prowlinI
around like gaunt and hungry wolves
to destroy the lives Of unoffending littlt
flowers, the other buds spring up like
magic and are closely pursued by thu
soft and downy leaves. 1t is quite
task to find them, as they choose onl.
those places which are most difficult 0
access, and insist on installing them
selves in little settlements and congre
cations beside the friendly shelter @
large boulders and rocks, which 20
may walk quite around before you dis
cover a single flower, At other time
and in other places they arrange then
selves in solid ranks and battalions uI
on some slope Of southern exposure an
: bewilder the spectator with their yer
multiplicity.
Another popularity is their differenC
i in color. The usual tint is white, bt
there are also blue and even pink he
aticas. 1t may be they possess thet
colors naturally, in fact believe ii
. cultivated varieties assume the thr,
shades mentioned above, but cam,
help thinking thatit Is largely caused
o the absence.of light, absolutely or pa
: TALLY, accordingly as the plant grows
D the sunlight or in the shade. For
have noticed that the white vaFieti
grow only in the sunniest localitie
R. while the blue hides itself in the da
re and secluded places, as though, bell
8 rarer. 10 wished 70 escape Observable
- As for the pink variety it hourishes
o. all those places which are more even
b. divided between sunlight and shade
Z Whether this is the reason or not /
not know for certain, only / am SURE