The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-06-19

OF flowers. and the rose was mad nsr.
feet
RomHn flewer nebaurhss.
IL remained for the Romans 20 leave be-
Hlhd Them history Of excess in the use
OF the rose such as has never been heard
o. before or since
Durins the height OF Rome's glory the
htm crank roses in their win. ate
th"m in their food. sat In the dav on eush-
IONS stuffed with hundreds % them. and
AT night slept on beds covered inches deep
With them.
iuis eAtravagance was carried to such
a Foint that Seneca tells OF Symndjride
me most wealthy and yoluntuous of all
ihe sybarites. that he could not sIeen ~
single one Of the rose petals on his he'd
was disturbed. Some Romans swore that
VINE was not wine without the rose scent
10 II, and refused To drink # otherwise.
Deaiiy as the Roman Gignitaries loved
roses their emperors loved them better
and the palace banquets and setes OF
various kinds were the talk for davs
after on account of some new AMI lavish
use Of roses.
IL remained for Nero to demonstrate
that in floral excess rs in other excuses
he was past master OF the art. He was
exceedingly clever in providing some rev
lose amusen eat at each entertainment.
II preceding emperOrs had devised some
particular rose DISPLAY. Nero enlarged
ard improved iron the old method in such
a manner as 10 call forth expressions OF
cmazement from his guests.
At one banquet the floors OF the hall
were covered inches deep with rose petals,
the walls were hung with roses. the
guests sat upon them and ate and drank
them in every shape and form. and, final
". at the end OF the banquet. the ceiling
opened and a shower Of roses descended
upon the diners, almost burying them be-
meath their fragrance.
On another occasion Nero caused his
fountains TO spout rose leaves and rose
water.
Died on Beds OF Roses.
Sleeping upon beds OF roses became
such necessity to the old Romans that
they could not do without this luxury.
and numerous instances have been re-
corded where the sleeper, overpowered
by the perfume, died in the night upon
his bed OF roses.
II Roman youth wished to compli-
ment a maiden ne presented her with
the first roses Of spring. "Mea rosa" was
a favorite expression used to his BE-
Jrothed
The Romans also wore roses in garlands
upon public and private fetes. With rose
crowns upon their heads aud ropes Of
roses on their breasts they deemed them
selves possessed of the last artistic touch
IN honor Of the occasion.
Not content with roses in lifetime, the
Romans instituted the custom of seat
-ering roses upon the graves of relatives
and friends. Indeed, in order that there
-h0uld be 40 neglect OF this ceremony
rany persons ordered their heirs TO meet
upon the anniversary of their death, To
line near by, and then to scatter roses.
The Persians were the first 10 cork their
vine bottles with roses, and it is to them
hat We are indebted for the beautiful |
sentiment of the rose and the nightingale !
L is a Persian tradition that the bird ut |
crs a plaintive cry whenever its favorite |
lower is gathered, and in the springtime |
I will hover around the fragrance until !
,veI powered by IT,
The rose is supposed TO burst into bud |
L :he opening song of Its lover, the night
ngaie. This tradition lis been brought |
o modern times, and it has been sung i
md recited by poets and musicians Of all |
ands.
The Turks have their idea of the origin |
# the rose, and it was once the belief |
hat it spranS from the perspiratiOn that |
ell from MahCmet. For this reason |
turks never step upon rose leaf, or let |
me lie upon the ground
When an unmarried woman dies, 1t is |
he custom in Turkey to nave a rose |
CUlptured upon her tombstone.
Roses have at all times figured largely |
4 history and the day will probably yet |
ONE when the United States will possess |
ONE political or romantic story in which |
he rose will play a prominent part. |
)ther countries have their rose ro-
ances; why should not We?
England's War of Roses has been |
he greatest political event in which roses |
yer figured. and the controversy be-
ween the we2rers of the white and tie !
ed will furnish a romantic interest for
III time.
In modern times, in our own country,
he American Beauty rose has achieved |
-reater success as matter OF sentiment
han any other rose. The name in itself
vas sufficient guarantee Of popularity,
5 it Is associated with the American girl
Sho reigns a beauty in the hearts of all
er countTymen.
The old varieties, such as Giant of Bat
les, Magma Charta, Hundred Leaf,
)amask Rose, GlOire de Dion, Harrison
lose, and many others, popular some
hirty odd years ago, are still on the
market, and, for their reliability and
tanchness Of bloom, are still to be found
\ modern gardens.
But the simplicity of names has de-
arted with the simplicity of the old-tims
ropagation, and at present. the rose
'orld is flooded with high-strung beau
es of great birth and breeding. They