Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1906-09-05
A TRIBUTE TO GRASS.
Poetic Euiosy That Wa. Proaoune.S
by senator ingalls,.


The following tribute 20 ..r.... writ
ten 10y the late Senator Ing. ~ o. Kan
sas. should be preserved:
Majestic. fruitful. wondr5ua plant,
The corn triumphant. that w..h the aid
or man hath made victor. d. uroces-
sion across the tufted lis, I'D laid
foundation for the social exc, Hence
mat Is and Is TO he. Tais glorious
plant. transmitted by tie alchemy OF
God sustains the warrior ia battle the
poet In song and strengthens every
where the thousand arms that work
the purposes of life.
Next Ia Importance 20 the divine
protusion or water. light and air. those
three great physical facts which rem
DER existence possible. may De reck-
oncd the universal beneficence OF grass
Exaggerated by tropical heats and VA
pors 10 the gigantic cane congesteJ
win Its saccharine secretion or dyarf
Ell ~ polar rigors to the fibrous hair
OF northern solltudes. embracing be-
tween these extremes the maize. with
It's resolute pennons. the rice plant Of
southern swamps the wheat. rye. bar
Icy. oats and other cereals. no loss
than the humber yerdure OF the Hill.
side. pasture and prairie In the tenn
perate zone. grass Is the most widely
distributed Of all vegetable beings and
Is at once the type OF our life and the
emblem OF mortality Lying In the
sunshine among the buttercups and
the dandelions Of May. scarcely higher
In Intelligence than the minute ten
ants or the mimic Wilderness. our ear
hest recollectiOns are OF grass. and
when tie htful fever Is ended and the
foolish wr,l'.le Of the market and the
forum X closed ~rass heals over the
scar which our descent Into the bosom
or The eariA has made. and the Garnet
or thc Infant becomes the blanket OF
the dead
Grass u the forgiveness OF nature.
her constant bene LECTION. Fields trnm-
pied with bc..le saturated with blood
torn with ihc rUts OF cannon. grow
green again with grass. and carnage
Is forgotten. Streets abandoned by
traffic become grass grown Ike rural
lanes and o1literGted. Forests decay.
h2rvcStS PERISH. flowers vanish. but
grass IS immortal Belcsguercd bv the
sulien hosts OF winter. il wlthdraws
into the impregnable fortress OF its
Subterranean vitality and cmerces up.
on the first solicitation Of spring. Sown
by tic winds. 10y wandering birds
propagated by the subtle horticulture
OF the elements. which are It's ministers
and servants. Il softens the rude out
line OF the world. Its tenacious fbcrs
hold the earth I'm It's place nni prevent
It's soluble Components from washing
into the wasting sea. II invades the
sOlitudes OF deserts. climbs the lnac-
cessiblc slopes and forbldding pinna.
Giles OF mountains. mobiles climates
and determines the history. character
and destiny Of the nations. Unobtru-
sive and patient. Il has immortal vicor
and aggression Banished from the
thoroughfare and the field Il bides its
tlme 90 return. aud when vigilance Is
relaxed or the dynasty has persisted II
silently resumes the throne from which
ii has been expelled. but which II new
or abrOgatcs. IL bears no blazonry Of
bloom 10 charm the senses with fra.
GRANGE or splcndor. but its homely hue
is more enchanting than the lily or the
rose, Ii yields no fruit IN earth or air.
and yet should IFS harvest fail for a
single year famine would depopulate
the world"