Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-11-03

in other cases. would give the lying
rrdskln "a blessing not 20 be forgotten,
and order a return 10 the yacht
"Dlstrustfully / followed him ashore
and through the underbrush Beneath
great cypress trees. hoary with the
gray hanging mosg and past immense
bay trees we wendell our way illund.
Eagerly he led the way until reaching
the edge OF little open space he stop
ped and with silent pride pointed TO-
ward the center Gracefully tree, with
broad. banaua-like leaves reared Itself
aloft Wide spreading branches hung
down slightly waving I'm the warm
breeze It's emerald hued foliage was
the most beautiful ] had ever bcheld.
II rose % "a height OF twenty feet and
It's thick. substantial trunk Indicated
many years OF existence.
This the old Seminole Informed me,
was the bIushlng tree
OF told him 90 prepare 20 camp here
until It rained. regardless OF time. We
unrollet our blankets, stretched our
mosquito bars, without which one can
not sleep in the glades. cooked supper
and rolled up On our blankets for the
night at the setting Of the sun. That
night the day following and the next
night passed without rain
81 began TO think 10 would never rain,
when about noon cloud dorkened the
sky overhead ! put a rubber pouchO
over my shoulders and fixed my eyes ON
the green and pretty tree "a dozen yards
away II was covered with q greenlsh
inject the size Of a large wood tick
which intensified its color The rain be-
gan to fall I'm torrents. after lts custom
IN that region Beside me. grnning con-
hdently with a pipe in his mouth, stood
the Seminole.
-. the cool water drenchod the tree.
I was amazed 90 note "a changing OF
color Gradually yet unmIsiakably the
green hue was giving way 10 pink. !
could not believe my eyes, Was mes
merlzed?
Hastily l STROBE forward up 10 Its
very trunk and under IT'S spread
branches, 20 obtain a closer 'oOk. The
Indian had told the truth
THE tree was blushing at the rain.
In few minutes the green had fad
cd from sight Only in a few, half hid
den spots beneath broad branches and
on its trunk was there a tinge OF
green TO be- seen
THE tree was as pink as the cheek
Of a healthy girl.
"Astounded / remained silent while
the Indian mutterad words Of self
praise and satisfaction. Huh, was he
not a great Seminole TO show the white
stranger such a tree? Huh, the land
OF snow and money had nothing Ike
this. Huh! The north was probably
great country. but II had no tree that
turned color I'm the raln-lluh!
After an hour or more the shower
passed over and / watched with no less
interest the wonderful tree assume its
familiar green once more. As Il was
changing back 10 emerald I suddenly
realized the secret Of the phenomenon
The tiny insects and not the tree itself
changed color. These peculiar parasites
are possessed OF the power Of chame-
Icons In the bright warm sunshine
they are greener than the tree on which
they live but when the chilly rain falls
upon them, they contract their little
backs and become a pretty pink IN
color. Millions Of them thus change
the tint Of the tree. They are found
only upon one species NJ trees. which
grow I'm certain parts NJ the Everglades
81 paid my guide twice what he asked
for his services and departed from Flor
ida with a feeling that I had seen one
Of the wonders Of the world