M&wz tj
!, tfJailln
If
If.-
it'.
V J tky l'''!0. modest blossoms. J?Af rrW-Tf Al Hi ysC&C?1 &
aHriilfillHBHa They were fragrantly !- m T"lf -l' !Jfe $T ESSSSSSiMHMmK
ir V- i ft J .-",- BHii iirfirnettfr tlr Mtflnfilifc MM
WINTER SPENT ON THE NILE
English Writer Tells of Life on a
River Steamer That Passes
Through Flowery Fields.
Cniro. ICpypt. Without doubt tho
plensantcst place In wlilch to spend n
pan-wjlntry winter Ib Kwypt tliu banks
of thn Nile. In Cnlro, pet haps, It in
not quite correct to describe the win
trr nH non-wintry, for tho early morn
lug nml evening colti In sufficient to
make Itself ory sensibly felt: hut in
Assunn nml Luxor tho winter Ih no
winter in the European sense of tho
wont, sns n writer In tho London
I'Oht.
Ily C'htlstmnn the narcissus nml tho
violets, Imuu'UHo IkhIh of which grow
In tho gardens, tire already in hloom;
while hy Match, our oaily spring, tho
orango blossom timl thn scarlet hi
blsciiH lire fully out, tho plult nml
white olenmlerH nml petunias nro
flowering with u tirofmilou utterly un
known In European guldens, nml the
long, lofty wall of the Winter Palace
DEAD ARE IGNORED
U. S. Has Done Little to Honor
Resting Places of Presidents.
v
eloquent messages from home Hut
dcsplto its unassuming manner thu
primroso has linked with Us his-tor-
a tnlo of political honors. It is
an heraldic flpwer giving namo to a
noblo Scottish Iiouho on whoso shield
It Is graven with a motto that, trans
lated, reads: "Early youth is charm
ing." Besides this, it was taken aD
tho symbol of a political career more
bold, brilliant and strange than any
other of Its time. Tho statesman was
Lord Hcaconsfleld, and in connection
with him there was established In
England a new festival called Primroso Day.
Mythology as well as history claims tho hum
ble little flower, and tells a tale of its origin. Tho
story is that a beautiful youth earner Parallsos
died of grief over tho loss of his lovo, and was
metamorphosed Into the primrose, which in Its
early days bore his name.
The fair spring blossoms which Mother Earth
sent forth to herald tho coming of Easter have
been gossiping about each other. The tales they
tell about the tulip, that bright favorite of Orien
tal lands, besides being highly romantic, vergo
on the sensational. Its notorious career has been
freely discussed among the less brilliant flowers,
some of which, In spite of their sweet, gentlo
dispositions, resent the tulip's regal bearing and
courtly aire. Few people have ever heard the
stories they tell. In this busy, hustling age only
poets and occasionally other unpractical folk find
time to "trace the family trees" and history of
flowers.
But the tulip, as well as the other blossoms
that are talked about, will probably be welcomed
even more cordially than of old Into the churches
and tho homes of the best families after its
strange and wonderful past becomes known. The
gay-petaled blossom gets Its name from a simi
larity to the Turkish headdress, and one of the
chief national festivals in the Sultan's land is
known as the feast of tulips. But tho proud flow
er has done something more than please the
Turks with its beauty.
Once upon a time it held Just as great an in
fluence over the financial affairs of some families
as Wall street has had over those of others. This
nil happened something over 300 years ago, when
the tulip was first taken to western Europe.
It was immediately enthroned as czar In the
floral kingdom, apd so great was the rage for it
in Holland and France that many families famed
for wealth were bankrupted by It. Tho new
comer's beauty made even the wise, staid Dutch
florists mad, and speculation in costly bulbs be
came a terrible gambling mania among them. A
rare specimen often won a prize as high as that
paid for a high-stopping raco horso or a fine
diamond. Fortunes changed hands dally in bets
over tho final outcome of almost priceless seed
ling bulbs. The gambling reached such a height
that tho government finally had to Issue a proc
lamation to suppress it During threo years
tulips yielded to the city of Haarlem thn snug
little sum of $50,000,000., The finest bulbs aro
still brought from that Holland town, and nro
descendants of those famous tulips.
Whllo this financial career of tho tulip Ib most
Interesting In speculating circles, tho poets lovo
best the t-lo that tells how thn young Porsan
always makes it the emblem of his declaration of
love. Tho turbaned swain sends to tho lady of
his dreams the most brilliant tulip ho can find.
The message It bears is that like tho flower his
countenance Is all on fire and his heart has( been
reduced to a coal by tho intenso warmth of his
love.
Tho well beloved violet is another gentle little
flower that has been a prominent figure In his
tory. When tho first Napoleon was in exile it
was adopted as his emblem by ,bli follower!. A
- - -j - ,
j??&2tS''
bunch of violets worn by a Frenchman, or seen
In his home, was a secret message that he was
loyal to the exiled chieftain's cause.
Ion was tho namo bestowed upon the violet by
the lmnglnativo Greek who loved to people the
petals of every blossom and the ripples of every
rill with fair creations of their fancy. According
to mythology tho name was derived from la, the
daughter of Midas and the betrothod of Atys. The
story runs that Diana, desiring to conceal the
maid from Apollo, transformed her Into a violet.
Another myth about the birth of the flower says
that Jupiter caused the first violets to spring
from the earth as food for the persecuted la
while she was hiding In the form of a whlto
heifer from the fury of Juno.
The verse makers have a special- fondness for
the tiny flower, and love to translate the message
It is trying to tell to the rest of creation.
It Is a singular fact that some flowers suggest
penslvenesB and even melancholy, whllo In form,
color and bearing others speak only of gladness.
While the personality of the flower may be some
what responsible for Its effect on the human
moods, more, perhaps. Is due to the strain of
poets' moods. Most of the Easter flowers seem
to bo message bearers of Joy and hopo, lifting
their faces to the blue skies In happy worship
rather than in sadness. It seems to be natural
for poets to give names and human attributes
to plants, but the beauty loving Greeks went'
farther 'along the path of fancy. They Invented
human originals for their' favorite flowers, and
made' beautiful legonds to account for tho trans
formation. The lovely narcissus, according to
their lore, was once d handsome young god who
, became so loBt in admiration of his own shadow
that he cruelly slighted the affections of the fair
Echo. Ah a punishment for this crlmo he was
changed into a narcissus, the flower' of self love.
Shakespeare nlludes to another romantic
legend In his "Winter Tale." The narcissus was
said to have been tho flower that tho daughter
of Ceros was gathering when she was carried
off by Pluto of infernal region fame. The night
goddesses also choso It for their ancient roronot,
and It .was a highly important factor In the cus
toms of Oroek life. The Chlneso, too, have a
great fancy for this flower. They ubo it In many
of their sacred ceremonies, and every family in
the Mikado's realm takes great pride In having a
ptwnt In full bloom at tho New Year.
Lovo and jealousy played leading parts in tho
story of tho birth of tho hyacinth, another Orien
tal fnvorlto. There wns a youth, Hyaclnthus by
namo, who was much beloved by Apollo nnd
Zephyr. He preferred tho warm, steady nffectlon
of tho sun to tho fitful love of tho wind. This
made tho paslonnto Zophyr wildly JealguB nnd
caused tho plotting of a terrihlo rovongor Whllo
Apollo nnd Hyaclnthus wore playing quoits, which
was a favorite game with tho gods, Zophyr saw
his awaited opportunity. Ho mado his rival tho
slayer of Hyaclnthus by blowing the god's quoit
toward tho bend of tho youth. But while the
dying boy was held In the arms of Apollo he was
transformed Into tho fair, fragrant hyacinth. The
flower has always meant game or play because
of this tale.
Kvery tradition nsHoeliitVd with
that Easter flower, tho iris, iimkes
It a beauty of ilchent promise. It
signifies a messAge, ami, because. It
grown In every part of the world, It
Is a universal message. The Greeks
named 11 for the rainbow, but the
KgMitlans lay special claim to tho
flower
It Is tin plant spoken of In Kvodus
as being the billing place of tho In
fant Moses whun ho lay In tho cra
dle of tho rushes on tho river's bo
sum It may bo that tho llowero
whispered to him then that his des
tiny was to lead his pooplo to the
promised land. Tho ancient Egyp
tians placed tho Iris on thd brow of
the sphinx anil on tho scepters of
their moniirchs, and among all tho
eastern nations It Iiiib over been tho
symbol of power. Another land that
highly honors It is Franco, for it Is
the verltablo flourdells that figures
on tho nrms of this country. Hut
there Is a most beautiful legend that
mnkes the Iris a sacred (lower as
well as a national emblem. Tho
story tells that it was a trembling,
agonized witness of tho crucifixion.
When It heard tho anguished cry,
"My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken mo?" It sobbed out tho
vow. "Henceforth I will perpetually
mourn, and, lest man should over
loso sight of tlilB solemn hour, nbovn
my goldon ohallco I will carry a
veil of violet."
Ancient nnd Important Is tho his
tory of the Illy, which wns alBo high
In favor with tho old Egyptians, for
It appears prominently In their
hieroglyphics. According to a pret
ty legend, when HHob first grew on
tho enrth they wcro nono of them
pure white, but nil of n lovely yeiiow
huo. Seaborn Aphrodite In her happy wander
ings suddenly appeared boforo them wondrously
fair and bright and whlto ns tho foam of tho
waves from which sho sprang. Tho lilies tram
bled before her beauty, and grew so palo with
Jealousy that ever after they blossomed whlto.
First the goddess Juno choso It as her favorite
flower, and, then passing to tho Virgin Mary, it
was dedicated to tho early Chrlstlnn church.
Besides being tho choBcn flower of tho church,
it Is also an Imperial blossom. Away back In the
dayB of 1048 Garclus IV. king of Navarro, estab
llshed tho Order of the Knights of St. Mnry of
the Lily, and anothor Order of tho Lily was
founded by Ferdinand of Aragon. Dundee carries
lilies argent on Its arms and beautiful Florence
claims the queenly flowers ns Ub emblem.
"Tho sweet forget-me-not that bloomB for hnp
py lovers," haB more beautiful legends clinging
to Its name than any other flower.
According to ono beautiful tale, tho Ird called
the plants in tho Garden of Edon before him to
give thorn their names and color. As -ho spoke
to one after another, a tiny flower thought itself
unnoticed and fcnrful of being quite overlooked,
it timidly pleaded, "Dear Ixml, forget mo not."
Tho great Creator turned sternly toward tho lit
tle plant that had dared to Interrupt him, then
seeing how sorely afraid It was, he gently smiled
upon It, gavo It for Ub color the henvens' own
blue, and called it Forget-me-not, ob a reminder
that.lt hnd once boon so fooIUih as to doubt him.
It Is tho Persians who havo fashioned a beautl'
ful legend to tell how It Ib that theso flowers are
scattered over the earth ns tho starH aro spread
over tho sky. According to thorn, one morning
of glory when the world was now, an angel stood
weeping outside tho closed gato of Paradise He
had fallen, In that he had loved a fair daughter
of Earth. When his eyes had rested on her as
she sat on a river's bank weaving forget-mo-nots
in her hair, heaven and his mission to earth were
Jillko forgotten. Now ho might no moro enter
h until hlB beloved had sown all over the earth
the forget-me-not. Ho returned to her nnd hand
In hnnd they wandered, planting everywhere tho
sweet azuro flowers. When, at last there remain
ed on enrth no spot Darren of theBo blossoms,
thoy turned again to tho gato and found It opon.
Together they entered In. for tho angel's great
love had lifted tho woman 'to Paradise.
Some authorities thoro are who do not hnrk
back to the days of tho Garden of Eden, but tell
a pnthotlo talo of tho Danubo an tho origin of tho
forget-mo-not's namo, Tho bluo waves of tho
rlvor washed tho foundation wnllB of a bravo
knight's nncestral castle. Ho had but Just como
homo from tho wnrs and laid his honors nt tho
feet of hlB lady love. His brldo nnd ho wore
wnnderlng along tho river's bank when ho ex
claimed, "Look yonder; thoro, upon that Islet;
see tlioso stnr-liko blossoms bluo as thino eyes."
InRantly ho sprang Into tho river nnd swam
toward tho flowers. In safety ho reachod tho Isle
and grasped tho frngllo prize, but when he trlod
to return with-them to tho shore his heavy nrmy
mado him helpless In the current. Tossing the
flowers to his frantic brldo with tho agonizing
cry "Forget-me-not," ho sank from sight. . .-
Along the Lazy Nile.
garduna in Luxor In hung with, ub II
were, n tapestry of deep yellow Mnro
dial Nlel rosea and deep purple bent
galnvlllea wonderful color-study ol
tints, both rich nnd rare. Winter on
tho Nile, Indeed, is more like an Ideal
summer, with wnrm days, which arc
yet not exhausting, and with cool eve
nings mid early mornings, which pos
sess some mnrvelous quality of fresh
ness and invigorating jiowcr of which
evenings and early mornings else
where seem bereft.
For complete rest nnd refreshment
of mind and body, I think, after con
siderable experience of travel, that I
ehmild send nny ono to Egypt in pref
erence to any other part of the world.
I should not recommend much tlmo
being spent in Cnlro, ns, Interesting
city though it Is in tho older nnd nn
tlvo parts, It Is not characteristically
Egyptian, nnd docs not, unless, per
chanco for the Incorrigible town lover,
possess anything nppronchlng to the
nnmelcsB charm of tho Nile nnd up
per Egypt.
Throughout the entire Journey, last
ing about n fortnight, from Cnlro tc
AsBunn, this nbundant life of tho Nik
Is ceaselessly in evidence. In sum
mer, the dead season, it might bo less
npparcnt, but in winter or spring trie
signs of people, habitations, domestic
animals, cultivation, wherever the eye
rests, nro striking beyond all else In
the Egyptian landscape. In the win
ter there nro crops to bo sown, water
ed, and tended, and by enrly spring
tho first of theso crops are ready for
harvest.
I do not think I speak for myBell
nlono when I say that I havo spent
day after day In tho bows of a Nile
steamer doing nothing whatever but
watching tho scenes passed through
without for a moment finding the daye
too long.
Apart from the lift actually on the
river, with tho passago of boats, bear
Ing tho peculiar long Nile sails, man
ned by bawling Arabs and laden with
strange cargoes of water jugs, sugar
cano, and maize, there Ib tho life on
tho shore Itself tho llfo of a people
unfamiliar and yet familiar, because
they seem to have come out of the
pages of the family Blblos at whoBo Il
lustrations we used to. look in out
childhood, a pcoplo doing things as
they did them thousands of years ago,
living a life which wo see to bo real
becauso it goes on before our eyes,
and which yet seems a life of long
go.
Former Executives of This Country
Are Burled In Many Odd Places,
Without Proper Monuments
to Their Memory.
Washington. Presidents cannot br
kept very long after they aro dead
"we mo but mortals, after all." liven
their Inlllnls nro often forgotten. Thu
chances nro that six and a quartet
men out of every ten If they were bui1
ilenly asked what weto the Initials oi
President Harrison would answer,
"Heiijamln 11.," Just ns thousands,
even now whllo ho "fags superfluous
mi tho Btngo," think that the only liv
ing ex-president Is T. It. Hoosovelt
Mr. Wntterson himself Is often writ
ten Henry W. Wntterson. and Georgo
llrlntoii Mct'lollnn Hanoy In Blmply
known mi George, says a correspon
dent. Mrs. Mnrtln Littleton's active enm
pnlgn for tho recovery of Montlcello
does not touch directly tho question,
"What shall wo do with our preBl
ilents7" but It suggests Inquiry into
what wo have done with them after
they have "shullled off this mortal
coll;" and It must bo said that tho na
tion linn done very little In their hon
orIn most eases It has not provided
for their sepulcher or any adequate
monuments to their mumory.
Tho former presidents nro burled In
ill sorts of odd places In country
phurchynrdH, In city cemeteries, In
vaults of massive masonry, In leaden
rasketn nnd In plain coffins, nfter tho
manner of tho plain people from
whom thoy sprang theso Imperious
Caesars, so to say, "dead nnd turned
lo clay," who "might stop u holo to
keep tho wind nway" this "phantom
caravan" that "has renrh'd tho noth
ing It sot out from." ,
Why not dig up tho bones of Thorn
ns Jefferson wlilch havo been rest
lug In tho grave chosen by himself at
Montlcello, his homo In Virginia, for
ulghty-slx years nnd re-Inter thorn In
tho National cemetery nt Arlington?
That would dispose finally nnd In the
most effectlvo way of tho question of
securing by gift or purchase tho home
of Jefferson for a national shrine.
Without his dust his former placo ol
rcsldenco would loso Its chief Inter
pst to tho American pcoplo who would
do him honor. Hurled again at Arling
ton, still in tho soil of tho common
wealth which ho served so steadfast
ly, his resting plnco would bo -a na
tional charge, a sentimental spot with
PLEDGE WAR ON AIGRETTE
New York Women Also Place Ban on
Much-Prized Bird of Para
dise Ornament.
New York. Pledges never again to
wear tho much-prized plumage of
either tho bird of paradise or tho
algretto are belng signed by many
women prominent In society here.
Mrs. H. Fairfield Osborn, who Is
tho president of the American Mu
seum of Natural History, started tho
pledge-taking nt a club meeting, whon
It wob resolved that everything pos
Blblo should bo done to protect from
extinction tho two birds whoso plum
ago hns been much Bought by women
of fashion.
Tho women pletlge-tnkcrs are mere
ly members of the woincn'u auxiliary
of tho Now York Zoological toclety
By formal resolution they indorsed
the principle of federal protection of
birds, embodied In the McLean bill
now before congress.
Sell's Quart of Blood for $25.
Now York. Joseph Schwartz, out
of work and hungry, Bold a pint nnd
ahnlf of his blood to Jack Shapiro for
$25. Tho transfusion took place In
.Lebanon hospital.
yJO WvAN BUREN'aVT rtf
WMONUMENT. ZJ
. XTKlHOERHOOK. N.V. fl&
In easy reach of tho national capital,
to which all pilgrims to the heart of
the country could readily resort and
pay their vows to the father of Amer
ican democracy.
Washington is buried at Mount Ver
non, his estate situated on the south"
crn bank of the Potomac river, and,
sixteen miles distant from tho na
tlonal capital. Ills monument is not
one of tho most imposing of the me
morials to tho presidents, but it is the
most lmpresslvo because of Its simple
dlgrilty. Tho tomb Ib a brick struc
ture, twelvo feet high, entrance to
which is provided through an iron
gateway, flanked by pilasters, and on
tho arch surmounting the gateway
there Is this Inscription: "Within tbe
Inclosure rest tho remains of Gen.
Washington." In a plain marblo sar
cophagus placed In tho ante-chamber
of tho tomb rest the remains of
Washington. This sarcophagus was
fashioned by John Struthers of Phila
delphia, from a design mado by Will
iam Strickland. Another severely
plain sarcophagus of the same work
manship and design and containing
-tho remains of Martha Washington
stands In the tomb bard by that of
her Illustrious husband. Theso sarco
phagi were presented by Mr. Strick
land to the relatives of Washington.
The gravo of Washington and his
homo at Mount Vernon aro under tbe
protection of the Mount Vernon asso
ciation, composed7 of women from all
tho original thirteen states, sand aro
well cared for ub n patriotic duty by
theso women ns a shrlno to which lov
ers of tho country Journey overy year
to pay their vows nnd catch fresh in
spiration meditating upon tho virtues
of the father of his country.
Martin Van Huron was hurled in the
Iloformed church cometory nt Kinder
hook. Columbia County, N. Y., nnd his
gravo is marked by a plain granlto
shaft.
Gem Imports at Vast Sum.
Now York. The January Importa
tion of diamonds, pearls and other
precious stoncB was the largest on
record at this port for, January with
a single exception. The totql value
of imported gems amounted to $3,899,
995, or $725,000 moro than for Janu
ary, 1912. Two years ago, however,
the record of $4,54,1,600 was made.
I
i
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