The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-01-16
STORY OF PorNsErrA.


spent considerable time i'm Greehville.
The Poinsett Spring. on the old Green
ville-Hendersonville road was marked
a. memorial to him. The Poinsett
club was named In his honor. 1t was
he who designed the old Record build
Inc. Of Greenville.
The closing years OF his life were
spent at stareburg. Sumter county.
and there he died and was buried In
the burying ground OF the Church
Of the Holy Cross.
Poinsettia. crimson flower Of war,
comes 70 US at the tide Of Yule, to
deck the house and set It's glow of
good Fellowship upon the hearth.
II came to us from Mexico, long a
land Of strife. but Its name Is from
that Of an American statesman and
warrior. and In the sharp. short strug-
ole at Vera Crus II was rechristencd
In the blood Of kinsman of Joel
Roberts Poinsett. George Poinsett. of
the United states marines. The army
under General Flu ,ston after its long
occupation followi q the Tampico In.
cident returns to the United States.
The earth is still filled with war and
the rumors Of war. and fleets and ar
mics battle by land and sea. The
shrisk Of shrapnel has taken the
place Of the Christmas carol and the
snow rests upon field and void where
only tho dead remain.
IL h f,tting that now the poinsettia
lifts It's starred flower and reveals its
tropical beduty In the bleak lands I'm
the north. II grows I'm garden and In
greenhouse throughout the United
States and at this season Its petals
are Initiated In paper to serve as dec
erations at Christmas. -
The legends cell that centuries ago
the blood red flower was borne
by those who went as human sacri-
hces to the affairs Of the Aztecs. And
yet N one goes back over the ages
there comes to the mind the visions
Of the Druids In the forests of Eng
land gathering the mistletoe and the
holly with sickles Of gold to ,dorn the
fsasts TO heata,sn deities at which
their fellowmen were victims Of ,nys-
tic rites. And may 1t not be that the
red nower Of war. the poinsettia. may
md its way into the symbolism of a
! gsntsr age? This is a world OF
change and the seed Of strife may
bring forth fruits of peace.
RSoWcr Once Was Carried by Victims
lt Of Aztec Sacrifice.
How strangely the ways of the sage
and the warrior were blended In the
personality OF Joel Roberts Poinsett
who gave 40 much to the service OF
hs country and yet Of whom his coun.
try remembers con- mparatively So lit.
tie! The Killing Of his kinsman, a
young marine. In the attack on Vera
Cruz recalled for a time that the
name of Poinsett has figured In
American annals generations ago, bu,
scon the suggestion passed away and
there are few even now who could off.
hand recall the part which the distin.
Suished publicist played In the de.
vslopment Of our national ideals.
Joel Roberts Poinset was ar
American Of the highest type. who
In spite OF many obstacles. served his
country with an ardor which came to
unswerving devotion to the cause OF
liberty.
hts descent was from the valia n,
defenders Of Rochelle. the Huguenots
In his blood was the bravery Of that
same French race which today is
nshting to drive the invader from its
coil. He was born In l779 In Charles
ton. y. c.. and after an eventfui life
ne came to the end Of his days In the
state of his nativity. Southern i'm his
"ympathies. he came at an early age
In contact with tho more practical life
m the north. for he received his cdu-
cation In Timothy Dwight's school at
greenfield. Conn. Mr.. Poinsett af-
tsrwards studied at the universities I'm
England. His inclination from the
frst. although he w,s frail in b. dy
was toward the profession of arms.
Eugene Brieux. the distinguished a
writer who recently brought to this
country the greetings Of the French
academy. spoke only last month of ty-
rants. great and small. and first he
placed In the category the well mean
Ing parent who forces his children
Into occupations for which they are
unsuited because forsooth the father
has made up his mind that the son
must be merchant or lawyer or phy-