St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1881-05-28
A STORY WITH A MORAL.
New York Tribune.

New York Tribune.
It was net long ago that gentle
man said to me-he was in wine
johnny, I will take your best
bouauet-that big one on q tray.
fit to be the bridal bed of Eve. If
you will carry it to this address"
Cali right, boss" was my re-
sponse, as / took his $40 bill and
observed rather deviiish light in
his eye, while he wrote name ON
card. started of to deliver it, and
stopping close by to change my
note and eat bite of lunch, a good
many people gathered near the
great prize bouquet and began to
talk about it, and to smell, and SO.
whether some jealous rivals stole
that card, or whether I had drop
ped it on the street, the card was
missing when I took up the great
salver Of flowers again
hastened back to the place where
I had met the gentleman. he had
gone away in o carriage. / told my
trouble to the hotel clerk, the genial
Gillis, and he said, "Pshaw! take
it to his wife. He is no sporting
man."
Now, that gentleman ] knew, by
accidentally passing his house, and
had often admired the infexible.
the solitary, the lofty and self-reliant
quality in him. He was kind to
his interiors, manly to his equals.
naughty to his superiors. About
once or twice q year he showed
liquor in his eyes. as if Cain had
bred Abeps stock. and little liquor
brought out the consanguinity. l
said to myself: "These flowers will
| wither for which 1 have been paid.
| / believe he meant to send them
to his wife, and I will take
them"
I rang the door-bell of his house
and asked for the lady. Shown into
the palor. I saw my buyers picture
over the mantel. A lady entered
the parlor and beheld the flowers
She turned to me and said: "Who
are these for?"
"For you, madam"
"For me?" Her face dushed.
"Who has dared to send flowers to
me?"
I saw I was in for it somewhere.
and there was no safety but in con-
sistan. lying. Your husband sent
them, Mrs. ~ heard his name
and felt that this was his wife.
''My husband ?" Her voice falter-
ed. How came he to send me
flowers Have you not made mis-
take?"
mo, madam. He has never
bought flowers from me before. He
is not a customer of gallantry.
There is no mistake about it.
She seemed all fiuttered, like q
widow told that her husband had
returned to life. She neared me like
a woman of authority and under
some high mental excitement. Look
ing into my eyes she said:
"What did my husband say?"
"He said, madam, I have not
made present to my wife for years.
Business and care have arisen be-
tween us. Take her these flowers,
that their blossoms may dispel the
winter from our hearts and make
us young again.
She turned to the bouquet and
rained her tears upon it. She took
an orange bud, all blinded SO. and
hid it in her bosom. She sunk
upon her kneea and laid her head
among the flowers. to let their cool
ness refresh her parched. neglected
!. heart, and sobbed the Joy OF love
and confidence again. stole away
like q citizen of the world.
; As I went up the street and
, stopped at the same totel. the hus-
band was there. Johnny" said he,
''did you deliver the bouquet
| Eyes, I took it to your wife" ITO
, my wife?" "Yes, boss, you are too
good a man to wander as you wish
. to 60. Go home. The ice il
| broken. Your wife is full of graft
; tude. Saved by a mistake, en-
? brace the blessed opening made fol
e both of you; plant those rich bios
SONS on the grave of estrangement
and in the words Of the great book
| cling TO the wife Of thy youth.
: He staggered a moment. looked
a MS If he ought to knock nis down
and then rushed from the place.
!" Next day Imet her upon his nrm
s.Inhnny he said nhrinC her q