Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-04-07
PRETTY LEGENDS
SURROUND LILIES
Beautiful Easter Flower Has
Many Different Stories
Woven Around 1t

or all the flowers that blow there are
few about which as many stories are
told as the lily, says Gertrude NJ.
o'Reilly in the Philadelphia Ledger
From all parts of the world they come,
weaving a fair cloak of romance around
the blossom that surpasseth solomon
in all his glory"
The lilies of Caucasus, for example
change their color after the rain has
fallen, their white petals blushing rosy
pink at the kiss of the shower, and the
peasants will not fail to give you the
reason, should you ask.
Long, long centuries ago, they VIII
tell you, there lived a valiant soldier
who had one daughter, Tamara, the
most beautiful maiden the world had
ever seen. Fair as a lily was her SKIN
and bright as gold her long sllken
curls, and all who saw her loved her
for her beauty and her charm. war
broke out in a neighboring country,
and her father was called to arms
Long and bravely be fought and ever
by his side rode his friend, the CHIEF
of a nearby castle, until one bitter
day an arrow found his comrades
heart.
Century-OId Legend
When the war was overS he came
home once more, bringing with him
comrade. Between Plini and Tamara
a close friendship grew. She, as was
the custom of the times, had learned
to weave and embroider, but further
learning had she none, so ne dellBhteo
in teaching her the songs OF greece
while he accompanied her on the harp'
Day in and day out they wandered TO-
gether through the woods and fields
gathering the flowers that grew by the
way, and together singing so that the
very birds hushed their melody TO
listen. They were only children, and
their merry laughter rang through the
air as they ran and leaped in JOY OF
heart, but little by little they grew
more silent and as they walked their
hands would seek and find each the
others.
Then the nature of their singing
changed and sad, sweet melodies re-
placed the joyous tunes of childhood
The harp sobbed and sighed with un-
spoken love and long, strange silences
fell between them. For months they
wandered thus. not understanding the
secret of their hearts, until one day
Tamara was claimed by the great chief
to whom her hand had been long prom
ised.
Too dutiful to refuse to obey the
commands, of her father, too loving 10
be untrue to her own heart, she knew
mountains she prayed to heaven for
deliverance, and the gods, who heard
the prayers OF those who trust, chang
ed her into tall lily, with petals
white as her fair skin and golden
pistil that shone as had her flowing
tresses. - '--.
Years passed and Plini wandered the
whole world through. seeking for his
lost love. From every passer-by he
asked, Have you seen Tamara, the
fairest of maidens?" To the wild winds
as they blew he prayed, "oh. find foI
me my love-" but no answer came
until home once more in his own coun-
try he found and knew the lily. Fall
ing on his knees beside it he cried, rs
it indeed thee, o Tamara?" and, like
the sigh of the soft south wind, he
heard the flower answer, 1T is l, my
beloved"
Then, all his years of fruitless search
past, he clasped the blossom to his
heart and wept, and the flower, feeling
the warm tears of love, blushed rosy
with Joy. But what was life to hin
when she who made the sunshine OF
his heart was gone? So the mercifu
gods changed him to a shower, which
ever and anon falls in refreshing rair
on the lilies of the Caucasus, and wheT
there is a drought in the land the
maidens gather the flowers of Tamars
and strew them over the fields. singing
as they go the song of Plini, invoking
his love that once more he may bring
the blush of joy to the petals of hi
beloved,