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move amongst their fellows invisible to 
mortal eye. How fondly it must have been 
sought, by friends of the lonely prisoner, as 
a means of access to his cell in the Tower, or 
other prison-house, or by the lover divided 
by castle gates and draw-bridge from his 
affianced bride! 
Two flowers represent in a very striking 
manner wealth and poverty. One is the 
Shepherd’s Purse—a little wayside flower, 
which rears its stem undaunted by the 
winter’s cold, and displays its small white 
flowers, pale leaves like ancient arrows, 
and curious seed-pouches resembling old- 
fashioned purses filled with corn-like seeds, 
in dull January. The other is a golden 
summer flower, the Calceolaria, which might 
well typify the wealth of a De Rothschild, 
as our English weed does the honest com- 
petence of the worker. 
The common Hazel (‘“ Reconciliation”) 
probably gained its name and sentiment from 
a custom of the old Romans, who burned 
hazel-torches at weddings to ensure a peace 
