The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-03-29
MANY STORIES ARE
WOVEN ABOUT LILY
Peoples of Almost All the Nations
of the Earth Have Romances
Connected With the Universal
Easter Symbol.

Connected With the UNIVERSAL
Easter Symbol.
~ F all the flowers that grow
there are few about which
as many stories are told as
the lily; from all parts Of
the world they come, weaving fair
cloak of romance around the blossom
that surpasseth Solomon in all his
glory"
The lilies of the Caucasus, for exam
pie, 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 will
tell you, there lived valiant soldier
who had one daughter, Tamara, the
most beautiful maiden the world had
ever seen. White was her skin and
bright as gold her long silken curls,
and all who saw her loved her for her
beauty and her charm. War broke
out In q neighboring country, and her
father was called to arms. Long and
bravely he fought and ever by his side
rode MS friend, the chief Of nearby
castle, until one bitter day an arrow
found his comrades heart.
When the war was over, he came
home once more, bringing with him
Plini, a young lad, the son of his fall
en- comrade. Between Plins and Ia
mara a close friendship grew. She, as
was the custom Of the times, had learn
ed to weave and embroider, but furth-
er learning had she none, so he de-
lighted in teaching her the songs Of
Greece while he accompanied her on
the harp. Day in and day out, they
wandered together through the woods
and fields, gathering the flowers that
grew by the way, and together singing
melody to listen. They were only chill
dren, 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.
Changed Into Lily.
Then the nature of their singing
changed and sad, sweet melodies re-
placed the joyous tunes of childhood.
The harp sobbed and sighed with I'M
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 chic.
to whom her hand had been long prom
ised.
100 dut1ful to refuse to obey the
commands of her father, too loving to
be untrue to her own heart, she knew
not what to do, so going out unto the
mountains she prayed TO heaven for
deliverance, and the gods, who hear
the prayers of those who trust, chang
ed her into a tall lily, with petals
white as her fair skin and golden pis-
til that shone as had her flowing
tresses.
Years passed and Plini wandered
the whole world through, seeking for
his lost love. From every passerby he
asked, "Have you seen Tamara, the
fairest of maidens" To the wild
winds as they blew he prayed, ooh,
find for me my love-" But no an.
swer came until home once more in his
own country he found and knew the
lily. Falling on his knees beside it he
cried, as 1t indeed thee, oh, Tamara p
and, like the sigh of the soft south
wind he heard the flower whisper, at
is I, my beloved
Then, all his years of fruitless search
past, he clasped the blossom to his
heart and wept, and the flower, feel.
ing the warm tears of love, blushed
rosy with joy. But what was life to
him when she who made the sunshine
OF his heart was gone? So the merci.
full gods changed him to a shower
which ever and anon falls in refresh
ing rain on the lilies Of the Caucasus,
and when there Is a drouth in the land
the matdens gather the flowers of Ia
mara 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 pet
ais Of his beloved.
Records LiIy's Shame.
Among the Christian legends of the
lily we find the origin of the tiger, or
turncap. ALI lilies were in the begin
ming white, and all held their fair
heads proudly erect, but on the night
in which Christ suffered in the garden
of Gethsemane some fell from grace.
When the other flowers became aware
Of his agony, they withered away with
sorrow and pity. Only one lily was in
different, and when those three bitter
hours had passed, still Haunted her
spotless beauty in the light of the
moon. The soldiers came and Jesus
was led out from the Garden of Olives.
He paused for q moment beside the
tall stem covered with the white flow
ers; for moment he gazed on them
In plying reprOach for their blindness
and their hardness of heart, and touch
ed by the love and mercy in his eyes
they hung their heads and blushed SO,