Gilpin observer., 1913-03-20

hue Seaborn Aphrodite in her happy wander
ings suddenly appeared before them "onqrousS
fair and bright and white as the foam Of the
waves from which she sprang. The lilies trem-
bled before hor beauty. and grew SO pale with
jealousy that after they blossomed white.
First the goddess Juno chose 1t as her favorite
flower and, then passing to the Virgin Mary IL
was dedicated to the early Christian church.
Besides being the chosen flower OF the cnurcn'
1t is also an imperial blossom. Away back in the
days of 1O4S Garcius Nv, king OF Navarro. estap-
lished the Order of the Knights OF st: Mary OF
the Lily, and another Order Of the Lily was
founded by Ferdinand of Aragon. Dundee carries
lilies argent it's arms and beautiful Florence
claims the queenly flowers as its emblem.
"The sweet forget-me-not that blooms for hap
py lovers" has more beautiful LEGENDS chneine
to its name than any other flower.
According to one beautiful tale, the Lord called
the plants in the Garden Of Eden before him to
give them their names and color AS ne spoke
to one after another tiny flower thought itself
unnoticed and fearful of being quite overlooked
1t timidly pleaded, Dear Lord forget me not"
The great Creator turned sternly toward the 1T
tie plant that had dared to interrupt him, then
seeing how sorely afraid 1t was, he gently smiled
upon It, gave 1t for it's color the heavens own
blue and called it Forgetmenot. as a reminder
that IL had once been so foolish as to doubt him.
It is the Persians who have fashioned a beauti-
full legend to tell how 1t is that these flowers are
scattered over the earth as the stars are spread
over the sky According to them, one morning
of glory when the world was new, an angel stood
weeping outside the closed gate Of Paradise He
had fallen in that he had loved fair daughter
of Earth When his eyes had rested on her as
she sat on a rivers bank weaving forget-me nots
in her hair heaven and his mission to earth we're
alike forgotten Now he might no more enter
In until his beloved had sown all over the earth
the forgetme-not He returned to her and hand
in hand they wandered, planting everywhere the
sweet azure flowers. When at last there remain
ed on earth no spot barren of these blossoms
they turned again to the gate and found It open.
Together they entered in, for the angels great
love had lifted the woman to Paradise.
Some authorities there who do not bark
back to the days of the Garden OF Eden, but tell
a pathetic tale Of the Danube as the origin of the
forget-menot's name The blue waves OF the
river washed the foundation walls Of n brave
knights ancestral castle. He had but just come
home from the wars and laid his honors at the
feet of his lady love. His bride and he were
wandering along the rivers bank when he ex-
claimed. Look yonder; there, upon that islet;
see those star-like blossoms blue as thine eyes"
Instantly he sprang into the river and swan
toward the flowers. In safety he reached the isle
and grasped the fragile prize. but when he tried
to return with them to the shore his heavy army
made him helpless in the current. Tossing the
flowers to his frantic bride with the agonizing
cry "Forgetmenot," he sank from sight.