The Beaver Herald

"What's in a Name?"
By MILDRED MARSHALL
Facts about your name: its history; meaning; whence it was derived; significance; your lucky day and lucky jewel.
HORTENSE.
Hortense is essentially a French name, though she has been adopted by all countries and she has the almost unique distinction among feminine names of having no contractions, diminutives or offspring of any form. Hortense she begins and Hortense she remains throughout history, with the single exception of Italy where the "H" is sometimes dropped and she is called Ortensia.
Like Sylvia, she is something of an ancient sylvan name, having come originally from the Latin "hortus," meaning a garden. The slave who tended those elaborate Roman gardens was called hortensius, and, finally through some strange quirk of fancy, it came to name an honorable old plebeian family.
For many centuries it continued in Italy and gradually the masculine form Ortensio came into use as a proper name, quickly followed by the feminine Ortensia. The most famous Ortensia of those days was Ortensia Mancini, the niece of Mazarin. This notable lady carried her name into France, where the French straightway placed the stamp of their language upon it by calling it Hortense. Since that time many famous women have borne it, particularly those of royal circles.
Hortense's jewel is the diamond, which is said to give its wearer fearlessness, invulnerability and to bring victory in any endeavor, provided, however, that it is received as a gift and not purchased. To exercise its best power it should be set in gold and worn on the left hand. Its potency for Hortense is concerned not only with lovers, but is extended to enhance the love of a husband for his wife. Saturday is her lucky day and six her lucky number.
The daisy, signifying innocence, is Hortense's flower.
(Copyright.)