WHIRLIGIGS. 97 



tercups. Have not they reason to hang their 

 heads in shame when they remember how nearly 

 they are related to the clematis that the English 

 call Beggar's Herb. This plant has leaves that, if 

 applied long to the skin, will make sores, and beg- 

 gars are said sometimes to use the leaves for this 

 purpose in order to draw forth people's compas- 

 sion and money. 



And Thistle over there is no better, for do not 

 his folk make such " thistleries " in Paraguay that 

 robbers can hide among them and attack unwary 

 travellers? And was not Thistle anciently sacred 

 to that disreputable heathen god, Thor ? Did not 

 thistle-blossoms get their color from the lightning? 

 I am afraid Thistle is hardly respectable. 



And as for Mustard, his very name is his dis- 

 grace, for does it not show that the ancient Ro- 

 mans mixed mustard with their sweet wine, or 

 " mustum." I fear that Mustard has been pres- 

 ent at many an orgy. Such disgrace is hardly 

 atoned for by the fact that the ground mustard 

 that Mrs. Clements sent King George I. pleased 

 that grumpy soul and caused his English subjects 

 to approve of the yellow stuff. 



White Yarrow, there, is hardly more decent, 

 for are not his folks used in Sweden in making 

 beer? And if you come to his other name, AcMl- 

 lea. did not Achilles kill Memnon, and does not 

 .said Memnon's mother, Eos, weep for her son 

 every morning, and so form the dew ? If you do 



