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THISBE 357 THOMAS THISBE, in classical legend, a Baby- lonish maiden beloved by Pyramus. They lived in contiguous houses, and as their parents would not let them marry, they contrived to converse together through a hole in the garden w^all. On one occasion they agreed to meet at Ninus's tomb, and Thisbe, who was first at the spot, hearing a lion roar, ran away in a fright, dropping her garment on the way. The lion seized the garment and tore it. When Pyramus arrived and saw the garment, he concluded that a lion had eaten Thisbe, and he stabbed himself. Thisbe, return- ing to the tomb, saw Pyramus dead, and killed herself also. The story is travestied in "The Midsummer Night's Dream," by Shakespeare. THISTLE, the common name of prickly plants of the tribe Cynaraceoe, natural order Compositoe. There are nu- merous species, most of which are inhabi- tants of Europe, as the musk thistle (Carduus nutans), milk thistle (C. Ma- rianus), welted thistle (C. acanthoides) , slender-flowered thistle (C tenuiflorous) , the spear thistle (Cnicus lanceolatus) , and field thistle (Cnicus arvensis), a v/ell-known plant very troublesome to the farmer. The blessed thistle, Carduus benedictus of the pharmacopoeias, Cnicus benedictus or Cirsium benedictum of modern botanists, is a native of the Le- vant, and is a laxative and tonic medi- cine. The cotton thistle belongs to the genus Onopordon. The common cotton thistle (O. Acanthiu7n) attains a height of from four to six feet. It is often re- garded as the Scotch thistle, but it ia doubtful whether the thistle which con- stitutes the Scotch national badge has any existing type, though the stemless thistle (Cnicus acaidis or Cirsium aca- ule) is in many districts of Scotland looked on as the true Scotch thistle. Some dozen species of thistle are com- mon in the United States, spreading from New England to Florida; Canada this- tle is one of the severest pests of the farmer, W. and S. THISTLE, ORDER OF THE, a Scotch order of knighthood, sometimes called the Order of St. Andrew. It was instituted by James VII. (James II. of England, in 1687, when eight knights were nomi- nated. It fell into abeyance during the reign of William and Mary, and was revived by Queen Anne in 1703. As at present constituted, the order consists of the British sovereign and knights to the number of 16. The insignia consists of a collar, badge, jewel, star, and ribbon. The collar is composed of golden thistles and leaves connected by crossed sprigs of rue, enameled. The badge is a golden eight-pointed star, whereon is an enam- eled figure of St. Andrew, bearing in front of him his cross in silver; it is worn attached to the collar. The jewel is worn round the neck with the ribbon. The star is of four points, with a St. Andrew's Cross embi'oidered in silver upon it. In the center is a green and gold thistle within a circle of green, bearing the motto in golden letters; ribbon, dark green; motto: Nemo me impune laces- sit (No one provokes me with impunity). Besides the knights ordinary, there are extra knights (princes), and a dean, a secretary, the lyon-king-at-arms, and the gentleman usher of the green rod. THOBURN, JAMES MILLS, an American clergyman; bom in St. Clairs- ville, O., March 7, 1836; was graduated at Allegheny College in 1857; joined the Pittsburgh Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1858; and engaged in missionary work in India in 1859. He was presiding elder at the India Confer- ence in the United States in 1886-1888, and in the latter year was elected mis- sionary bishop of India and Malaysia and devoted himself to mission work until 1908. He was author of "My Missionary Apprenticeship in New York"; "Mission- ary Sermons"; "India and Malaysia"; "Light in the East"; "The Deaconess and Her Vocation"; "Christless Nations"; "The Church of the Pentecost" (1901), "The Christian Conquest of India," etc. THOLEN, an island of the Nether- lands, in the province of Zeeland, N. of the Ooster Schelde; area, 51 square miles. It has a rich soil, and is protected by dykes. Wheat, rye, barley, oats, flax, madder, beans, and potatoes are its prod- ucts. The chief town has the same name. THOMAS, ARTHUR LLOYD, an ex- governor of the State of Utah, bom in 1851; educated in the public schools of Pittsburgh, Pa. From 1879 to 1887 he was secretary of Utah Territory, being a member of the commission to collect and codify the laws of Utah in 1884. In 1889 he was elected governor of the state for four years. During his term and largely through his influence the practice of plural marriages was formally renounced by the Morman church. He called the first National Irrigation Congress in Salt Lake City, in 1890, and the First Inter- national Irrigation Congress in Los Angeles, Cal., in 1891. From 1898 until 1914 he was postmaster in Salt Lake City. THOMAS, ATJGXTSTTJS, an American playwright, bom in St. Louis, Mo., 1859, and educated in the public schools of his