Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1916-04-20
Legend OF The Easter Lily.

SODR Ut SlOIJ tldn lHc Imperial my. us
purity and its stately bearing have caused
it TO be chosen as the symbol of divinity
and the badge OF kings.
Although in this country We under
stand by the word lily the lily OF the
valley, the stately Gala or the wonderful
harrissii or Easter lily, these are only
three varieties of very great family,
members OF which are found in all quar-
tiers OF the earth. Everywhere the lily
has been honored and held a sacred
flower, whether by the banks of the
stored Nile or Gauges, where, as the
lotus, il received honors little short of
those accorded 10 deity, or in heather
Greece, where il was consecrated TO Juno,
the spotless yet imperious queen OF
Olympus, or later in Christian countries,
where the flower was dedicated to the
Virgin Mary. No great artist when he
painted the Holy Mother ever forgot to
place near her the flower that was the
symbol of her heavenly rank. II is also
in art the symbol Of saints, martyrs and
angels.
The Easter lily is native OF the east.
Those now cultivated in Bermuda and
popularity known as the Bermuda lily
were originally imported there from Japan
for commercial purposes. The lily play
ed an important part in Chinese history
1000 years ago. II happened that the
Flowery Kingdom was ruled by the En-
peror Chow, a monarch universally fear
ed and hated. No one could depend on
his favor, and at last his best friend, the
prime minister, Ii Chung, began TO trem-
BILE for his life.
knowing well the bloodthirsty nature
OF the emperor, Ii Chung devised aclever
scheme TO escape from his power.
One day when he fancied that the en-
peror was in favorable mood he broach-
ed the plan. twas that 100 the strong
est young men and 100 OF the most beau
tiful maidens should be sent with him on
board ship TO an island in the sea which
he said had been revealed to him in a
dream by the gods. There, for The well
fare OF China and its conditions could
not have been much worse these people
were 10 be sacrificed to the deitieS for
the benefit OF their native country. There
was Sanguinary touch about the plan
that particularly recommended il 10 the
bloodthirSty mind OF wicked old Chow,
and he Immediately gave cheerful assent
TO the project, even showed his interest
by throwing in royal prince and prin-
cess.
The ship in which Ii Chung and the
hundred young men and maidens sailed
was the very finest that China afforded.
The larder was filled with dainties, and
every provision was made that the VIC
tins should be kept in first-clasS condl-
ton until the time for the sacrifice. The
best tomtom musicians in the kingdom
were loaned for the voyage TO charm the
ears OF the passengers with sweet sounds.
But in vain the artists tried their most
pleasing compositions; nobody would
sing or dance, while the prevalence OF
red eyes indicated that a good deal OF
weeping was going on.
When they were far from China, how
ever, Ii Chung took the passengers into
his confidence. He had not intended TO
kill them at all instead they were going
to the most beautiful island in the world,
where they would settle and where they
would live happily ever afterward, far
from the power OF the wicked Chow.
This island was Japan, and here they
did settle. But they had brought with
them great quantities Of lily bulbs as food.
Nobody had been able TO eat much on
shipboard, and quantities of these bulbs
were left over. They were planted, and
in the balmy climate ofthe Flowey King
dom they attained beauty unknown in
China.
Years later some Europeans, discover
ing the beauty Of this flower, imported II
into their own countries and called il the
Lilium longiflorium. But as an American
named Harris was practically the first 10
discover the flower and make il popular
in two continents il is now called the
Llium harrisSii.