River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-06-10
MIR. PETERS NEW GARDENER.

MN. TEIERSl NEW GAhDENEh.
20, DEAR sighed Flossie; I'm SO
tired tying up these flowers. They look
just alike. If | only had one big lily
out of the greenhouse next door to put
in the middle, how splendid ii would
look!"
And then FIossie stock up and peered
generously through the tall iron railing,
and reflected.
Il don't see what use it is to keep MI
those lovely flowers doing no one any
good / don't believe old Mr.. Petors
cares much about them, any way, or he
wouldn't have stayed abroad as long as
they say he has"
And then Flossie's restless young
eyes fell suddenly on a new object, and
her face lights.
There is a new gardener / do be
lieve that must be new gardener, and
he doesn't look bit cross Young
man." she calls suddenly to the tail
figure in the greenhouse door-"young
man." | wish you would come here"
Thus unexpected by summoned the fig
ure in the greenhouse looks questioning
ly for a possible interlocutor, and seeing
small, imperious little person steadily
regarding him from the further side of
the tall railing, comes swiftly across the
lawn to meet her,
did you call me?" he says, gravely,
surveying the brown top-knot and the
small, determined face.
yes, did, says Flossie, promptly,
1--WE are going to have company at our
house this afternoon, and l couldn't get
half as nice flowers as | wanted in the
village; so ! thought would ask you to
cut me one of those great Gala lilies out
Of the greenhouse You needn't be at
all afraid, she adds quickly by the way
of reinsurance, the old gardener did so
sometimes, and Mrs. Peters couldn't
possibly mind"
Then you think, as the old gardener,
did SO it will be quite safe for the new
one? Is that it?''
Eyes, certainly" says Flossie, prompt
Iy, passing swiftly III through the gate
he holds open, and taking an eXultant
pace beside him 'You needn't be ut
all afraid"
Perhaps one will DC enough" he
says, watching her when having got
ten the long coyerted lily stem III her
own hands, he sees her sit down on an
empty flower pot to arrage it.
20, yes, | think SO, she says quickly,
holding the great stately flower against
mass of green, and closing all the
humber ones about it. ''Therel is not
that lovely? If Captain Evans really
does deserve that, he must be grand in
deed.
"Who did you say? says the gardener,
stopping suddenly above rare plant
near him, and i'll his hasty gesture near
ly overseeing it.
Captain Evans-our company that
is coming you know. o, do be CAREFUL
Just see how careful you arel Why if
you do like that, you will not be garden
er long, young man, young man. Mr..
Peters is strict enough about those
things, I've heard"
"I'll try and remember" he says,
gravcly "And so this company Of
yours, for whom you hunt up flowers in
March, Is q young gentleman" he says,
presently. He should he very much
fiattered, | should think.
my company, indeed!' says Flossie,
curling disdainful mouth. You don't
know what you are talking about, young
mani Why, he is Dicks friend-that is
my br Their, you know-and he has just
come rom Europe, and he is going to
marry both my sisters; that is what
they say And 0, Pm sure / hope he
willp' cries Flossie, drawing long sigh,
and turning all her flowers about. HE
couldn't know how cross they are, you
know, and thsy are determined that he
shall
"He might object to bigamy, and
want to marry you instead" says Mr..
Peters gardener with a keen look.
But Flossie flies out scornfully, and
scathes him where he stands.
"a very likely story" she says, short
ly, rising up suddenly, and showering
all her scraps about her. "Me, in top
knot and short frocks, how very likely
that would be-"
When the gardeners new greenhouse
lily does really grace the drawing-room
next door; when Dick has driven to the
depot for the much expected guest;
when the two brides elect, who secretly
have scorned each others wild preten-
lions, are arranged like lilies of the
field when even Flossie, with such
much-snubbed minor curiosity as even
younger sisters may be supposed to feel
on such occasions, has danced about
from one window to another, in the
hone of seeing first when the returning
dog cart, emptied of all but black Peter,
has been seen to pass by briskly to the
stables; when excitement within doors
has reached Its highest pitch, and the
black-coated figures of the two young
men are quite in sight through the
shrubbery poor little Flossie has sent
two startled, frightened little chances
through the window, has muttered
some wild words about gardener, and
has fled away.
"Go away" says Flossie, earnestly,
when two hours later the tall captain
finds her hidden on the back piaza.
go away; hate you"
"Do not, he says, earnestly, striving
to draw away the hands that are so busy
covering up small disconnected face.
II never meant to play a trick like that
ON you. When / looked III at my
grandfather's old place to-day, had no
idea that your people lived 80 neal"
Your grandfathes!"
"Y@."
"And you hoped to furnish your best
flowers in your own honor. O! it is too
dreadful, too dreadful cries poor Flos
sic II never shall get over it. And |
told YOU"
"Never mind what you told me, he
says, reddening; ''if you forgive me,
we will keep our little secret to our
selves and nobody shall ever hear"
So, after all, though this was spring,
and it was not till autumn, there did a
wedding come of the young captains
visit. But, in spite of greater beauty,
and in spite of winning smiles and
finest toilets of the two who looked for
it. in spite of the brown curly top-knot,
and the utter vast absurdity of such a
thing, the bride was Flossie, and it was
not the Two young ladies 10 whom hon
ors were things always due.
And there was one boquet that grac-
ed the wedding breakfast that the wild
Young pair cut and tied with their own
hands in grandfather's greenhouse on
the day in question; and they We're 80
long about it, and they brought it III
with such an air of triumph when they
did come, as to occasion much amuse-
ment to the few who saw it placed in
honor-a small boquet such as one secs
a hundred times, with a tall lilly in the
centre.