The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-02-20
FIorida's BIushing free.

ana yet one tuH. is seen ny DuL Ic"
travellers is tree that bushes like a
bashful girl. 4 Florida mau, Albert
l.. Dewey, Of Punta Gorda, recently
told Of visi. he paid to the Ever
glades and Of his first sigh; of this in
tcrcsting tree.
''Thc blushing tree" said MIR. Dew
ey, "is by no means common. 1t is
found only in the densest thickets Of
those intcrminablc marshes, whose
luxuriant vegetation is revelation to
explorers.
''It is called the blushing tree by
those who know it because it actually
bushes when rain falls upon it. This
phenomenon is apparently incompre
hcnsiblc.
"Thc Seminole indians, who once
ruled Florida, have always known Of
the tree, and in their musical Ian
guagc, now fast disappearing, have
words which mean The maiden tree,
which rcddcns at the kiss Of her lover,
the rain
"ln company with a tactiturn In
dian guide, journeycd forty miles to
see this marvellous bit Of vegetable
life.
"Distrustfnlly l followed him ashore
and through the undcrbrush. Beneath
great cypress trees, hoary with the
gray hanging moss tress, and pact i'm
nicnsc bay trees, we wcndcd orr way
inland. He led the way until. reach
ing the edge Of little open space, he
stopped and with silent pride pointed
toward the center.
Gracefully tree, with broad, ba-
panalike leaves, reared itself aloft.
Wide spreading branches hung down,
slightly waving in the warm breeze.
It's emerald-hued foliage was the m ost
beautiful had ever bcheld. It rose
to height of twenty feet, and its
thick, substantial trunk indicated
many years of existence.
"rhis, the old Seminole told me was
the hlnshing tree.
81 told him to prepare to camp hero
until it rained, regardless of time. We
unrolled our blankets, stretched our
mosquito bars, without which one can
not sleep in tho gladcs, cooked supper
and rolled up in 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 it would never
rain, when about noon cloud darkcn-
ell the sky overhead. | put Il rubber
poncho over my shoulders aud fixed
my eyes on the green and pretty tree
a dozen yards away. 1t was covered
with Il greenish insect, the size Of a
large wood tick, which intensified its
color. The rain began to fall in tor
rents, after it's custom in that region.
Beside me, grinning confidently, with
Il pipe in his mouth, stood the Semi
mole.
Gas the cool water drenched the
tree | was amazed to note changing
of color. Gradually, yet unmistaka-
bly,, the green hue was giving away to
pink. could not believe my eyes.
Was l mesmerized ?
Hastily / strobe forward up to its
very trunk, and under its spread
branches, to obtain closer look. The
Indian had told the truth.
'"The tree was blushing at the rain.
In few minutes the green had faded
from sight. Only few, halfhiddsn
spots beneath broad branches and on
its trunk was there tinge of green to
be seen.
''Thc treo was as pink as cheek Of
a healthy girl. Astounded, I remain
cd silent, while the proud old Indian
muttcrcd words Of self-praise and sat
isfaction.
"Aftcr an hour or moro the shower
passed over and watched with no less
interest nc wonderful tree assume its
familiar green once more. "-Ihiloel1
rhio Press.
The family that keeps OH hand aud
uses occasionally the celebrated Prick
~ Ash Eiticrs is always well-regu-
lated family. Evans Pharmacy.
= The house fly of Europe is said
to be Of an entirely differ mt species
from that of tho same atliiction in
America.
A writer in the London Speaker
declares that the greatest aid to di
gcstion is conversation at meals and
that laughter is almost cure for dys-