Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-01-26
Miss Florence Minis Writes Of
Trip to st. Paul.
Dear Advertiser:

Dear ADVERTISER:
The other day in one of my classes
we were discussing names and their
origins. With one accord the class
exclaimed, Minnesota means the
land Of the sky blue water because
of its many lakes" did not know
this before, though the title is GER
tainly appropriate for there are thou
sands of small lakes in this great
state. Then / told the students some
thing that they did not know the
fact that South Carolina is called
"The Palmetto State" because of its
many palmetto trees.
The last few days of the holiday
season 1 spent in st. Paul, Minnesota
and had the privilege of attending a
service in the First Baptist church
Sunday morning and the Central
Presbyterian in the evening. The
Baptist minister was a Scotchman,
bearing the good American and even
South Carolina name of John A.
Earle. In both churches a stranger
felt more than welcome, in fact l
have come to the place where l new
er fail to be at home in any church.
One place is quite as good as another
unless it is home itself.
In both churches there were mag
nifcent Christmas trees, two in the
First Baptist. In the evening the
trees were electrically lighted and
very artistically decorated.
l have often wondered since being.
in the East and middle West, why.
it is that the South celebrates Christ
mas very largely without Christmas
trees. This form of celebration is
found seemingly in every home here,
and not alone in those where there.
are children. One reason I think is
the ease with which perfectly grown
and proportioned trees may be OBJ.
tained.
Another peculiar difference in the
Christmas celebration in the different
parts of the country is the use Sofs
IRE WORKS. hffaIfs ttgeni
Christmas eve nights, I have seen
the Roman candles shooting in the
sky, and it never occurred to me that
it was really singular form of
amusement for this particular sea-
son. The Middle Westerner is much
amused on hearing this and thinks
that the fourth of July is the only
proper time for fire works. Perhaps
the warm July nights in the South,
however, would discourage the use
of them.
On my way from Madison, Wiscon-
sin to st. Paul my friend, Miss New
comb and l were surprised to see
wooden boxes draped in huge Ameri-
can flags in the various stations
which we passed. At first we did not
understand, and then the thought
dawned upon me that in them must
be the bodies Of the returned soldiers
for in no other place would one see
the Star Spangled Banner lying
about. Though there are no more ser
vice flags or uniformed men to be
seen, there is still this proof of the
heroism of our men.
On arriving in st. Paul we saw
rows of them in the station covered
with huge flags, proclaiming to every
passerby that many of Minnesota's
men had made the supreme sacrifice.
The colors seemed to speak for them
selves, and say that beneath them lay
a heart which once beat for its coun-
try, now stillcd forever.
There are some emblems held by
organizations or individuals or states
that are peculiar to a certain sect or
group, but the flag is the one symbol
that is reyerenced by all alike. Just
outside my class room window l can
see the flag being lowered in the af-
ternoon, and it is never without a
thrill of exultation that l see it rev.
erently lowered and tenderly carried
away, even by a foreigner, a man
who halts over every English word
that he speaks. like to see him low
er it and hold it protectingly over
the deep snow.
FLORENCE MINIS.
Aurora Minnesota.
EOP SALE