Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-10-12
Natives at Johannesburg
GOSSIP FROM ABROAD.
Language of Flowerrs-A Colony of
Cats.

The Language of flowers or the ex-
preston of ones thoughts and feel
ings in the living characters of the
children Of Flora, dates back to hoary
Old oriental love-lore
was not wanting in its Technology
and application; nor has this sceptic
age altogether lost it's use and appre-
citation. CharlOtet de Latour's lie
Langage des Fleurs, in our days, saw a
score of editions and translations.
Only quite recently, as it would seem,
this sort Of speech has assumed a de-
cidedly political aspect, at least in
Europe.
When, a few weeks ago, the prince
of Wales first affected the corn flower
as a buttonhole, the question at once
arose as to whether this was to be
looked upon as a sign of reconcilia-
ton with his cousins in Germany
where it is the imperial emblem, or,
perhaps, as an indication of his es-
pousing the cause of the anti-Semitic
party in France, or else favoring the
German opposition in Austria, both of
which have chosen the centaurea
cyanus, also called blue-bottle, for
their party flower. No doubt, the
first gentleman of England" would
thus express neither his amity nor
enmity with regard to foreign af-
fairs F'No one," says a knowing
society writer, "has done more to pro-
mote the social advancement of the
Jews, and if today they occupy the
front rank of society in England and
France it is in great measure owing
to the support which the Prince has
accorded to them from the time that
he became the leader of society in
England and powerful factor with re-
gard to the great world in France" It,
nevertheless, remains true that at
present the wearing of flowers in the
buttonhole in Europe is to a large ex-
tent indicative of political partisan
ship.
In Germany, the blue corn flower is
the emblem of loyalty to the Hohen-
zollern and the Empire. 1t was the
favorite flower of William II, whose
denominated as KAISER
blume," is said to date from the days
of his noble mother, Queen Louise of
Prussia, who, at the time of Germany's
downfall through the first Napoleon,
used to wet with her tears of sorrow
wind for her children during her exile
on the Russian frontier when driven
from Berlin. In Austria, as men
toned, the corn flower has been
as the emblem of the German
party in its warfare against the Slavs
and all non-German elements in the
empire Of Francis Joseph. Along
the Adriatic coast, in Trieste, for in
stance, recently visited by Admiral
Dewey, and in southern Austria gen
orally, the wearing of field daisies is
liable to land one in prison. for the
field daisy or Marguerite, as it is gen.
orally called on the continent, is the
emblem of the italia Irredenta" Gun
redeemed Italy, conspiracy, which has
for its aims and object the restora-
ton to the kingdom Of Italy of all
the Italian-speaking provinces of
Austria, as Trentino, Ticino, Istria and
Trieste. Garibaldi was the leader of
this movement, whose adherents are
chiefly of the Radical and republican
parties of the united kingdom. The
Italia Irredenta has adopted the daisy
out of compliment to Queen Marquee
ia. In France, strange to relate, the
marks it's wearer as a
member of the anti-Sesnite or anti
Dreyfus agitation, while a crimson Or
red carnation in ones buttonhole de-
notes the Republican, the white car
lation the Royalist, and the violet the
In England the prim-
'ose is the emblem Of the ultra-Conser-
ratives.
The name Of Devils Island" has of
ate become so we'll known in connec-
ion with the Dreyfus affair that a |
Danish contemporary takes pains to
nform it's readers Of the existence OF |
IN isIet Of the same designation, which |
5 situated near the town of Roeskilde, |
bout 20 miles from Copenhagen, the |
,apital, in the Isseford. The tourist |
Who may visit Roeskilde, famous for
is mediaeval cathedral, whose vaults
ontain the remains of some 30 kings
nd queens, with those Of Saxo
the Danish historian of
he twelfth century, will come by
DEVILS Island, and, if he should be