Stray Leaves from a Border Garden 
March 19. — How enthusiastically St. Patrick’s Day seems 
to have been kept everywhere this year ! — -even those people 
who were not Irish wore Shamrocks in compliment to the 
Irish soldiers. Formerlv the Irish soldiers used to get 
into a scrape if they wore Shamrocks. Now it is the order. 
I believe this popular change is entirely due to Queen 
Victoria’s graceful tact. It is curious to think it is barely a 
hundred years since the “ wearing of the green ” was deemed 
a treasonable practice in the Emerald Isle, and now, from 
the Queen to the man in the street, every one wore the 
Shamrock on the 17th. 
The word Shamrock is said to come from an Arab word, 
shamrookn , meaning a “ club,” or “shillelagh,” which last, in- 
deed, Irishmen have always been partial to. Old Herbalists 
sometimes called it “ Shaenrog.” To find a Four-leaved 
Shamrock means good luck. Lord Edward FitzGerald and 
the rest of the United Irishmen should surely now sleep easy 
in their graves. Shamrock-seed is being sent to South 
Africa to be planted on the graves of Irish soldiers. It is 
odd that, although St. Patrick’s Day has always been kept 
in Ireland from time immemorial, it has never been taken 
much notice of before in London and Edinburgh, but this 
year London seemed a green city, and every second person 
met with walking down Princes Street in “ Auld Reekie ” 
had a bit of green about them. 
March 31. — At last a real Spring day, but cold in the 
shade, where the hail that fell yesterday lies still unmelted. 
Primroses (Mayspinks as they used to be called) are coming 
out all over the banks in the plantation, yellow and pink 
and purple and white. Outdoor Hyacinths are showing 
bud. Daffodils in bud too, and Crocuses, like sunrays 
on the brown earthbeds; last, but not least, dear Satin 
Lily. 
April 6. — Boy came home for his Easter holidays ! 
The following is an amusing charm sometimes practised 
in Bohemia against Fleas : during Holy Week put a Palm- 
branch behind a picture of Our Lady, and on Easter 
Sunday morning take it down and say, “ Depart all 
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