Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-23
81 xz<7isss1116noWORLDorI ITEpATUpE~AARr<p~

in contradistinction to the newer colony
of Englishmen on Massachusetts bay;
The Mother Of States" because 1t was
the Oldest Of the thirteen original states
and tor the further reason that from ter
ritory Included in its grant were formed
kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and
West Virginia: The Mother OF Presi-
dents" because George washington.
Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James
Monroe, William Henry Harrison and
John Tyler were among her sons. Mary
land is the ''Old Line" state in allusion to
Mason and Dixon's line. which skirts its
northern boundary, the ''Oriole state" be-
cause the colors of the oriole and the col
ors Of the state are similar, black and yell
low, and the "Terrapin state" because Its
great bay once produced diamond-backs
in such abundant quantities that they
were fed to slaves. That was very long
ago.
Pennsylvania is the keystone state"
for reasons familiar to school boys IN
every part of the country. Its geographl-
cal situation made it as important In the
revolutionary movement as a keystone Is
in an arch. and If the names OF the thir-
teen original states are listed, beglnnihR
with the northernmost and ending with
the southernmost. Pennsylvania VIII pc
the seventh or central name; arrange the
names in the form Of an arch and Penn
sylvania will be The one inscribed on the
keystone.
Connecticut is the Nutmeg state" as
tribute to the ingenuity of one OF Its
citizens, who Is said to have manufactured
imitation nutmegs out of cedar. The
aptness Of its other nicknames Is OBJ
vious. In fact, few of the nicknames of
states require explanation. The form OF
Florida has caused it to be chrtstened
Virginia, the Panhandle state" and the
presence of many mountains in the one
and of everglades in the other accounts
for the alternative sobriquets. louisiana
is called the Creole state" for obvious
reasons; the pelican state because the
pelican, feeding its young with blood from
its breast, is a part Of its coat of arms.
There is no difference between the name
of Vermont and its nickname; Vermont
means green mountain ,. IN. the ..Wa S,aen
Inc state" the Badger state the
Pine Tree state" the palmetto state"
the Bayou state" the BAY state" the
Granite state" the Empire state" and
the "Blue Grass state" are all self-ex-
planatory illusions. even though it has
been said that there is no blue grass IN
Kentucky; only a species of grass with
blue blossom. One must know. however.
that there was an Indian chief named
Hawkeye who gave the early settlers OF
Iowa much trouble to appreciate the ap-
priateness of ''Hawkeye state" as nick
name, and be familiar with an anecdote
concerning a Delaware militia captain OF
revolutionary days to trace the ancestry
or line Blue lien NEiChcHS. lis
captain was Unfortunately fond Of chicken
fighting and his mistaken belief was that
no game cock was superior to one whose
mother was a blue hen. The transfer OF
the name implying his ideal of valor to
his doughty soldiers and from them to all
Delawareans was simple process OF evo-
luton.
Missouri derived It's nickname. now al
most discarded, in an indirect manner.
Thomas H. Benton was known as old
Billion" because of his untiring cham
pionship of hard money. and Missouri is
the "BulIion state because 1t was the
home of Benton.
The Lone STAR that adorns the coat
Of arms Of Texas is a reminder of the
period when Texas existed as an indie
pendent republic: the sobriuuet Of Colo
rado a reminder of the fact that 1t was
admitted to the Union in centennial year.
and that of Nebraska reminder Of q
Nebraskan's leadership in a crusade that
has not been as successful as It deserved
to be- that in behalf Of tree-planting. That
Nebraskan was ]. Sterling Morton. the
father or Arbor day.