Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-04-13
A STORY WITH A MORAL
What the Carrying of Bouquet to the Wrong
House Effected

['Johnny Bouquet in N. Y. Tribune.]
1t was not long ago that a gentleman
said to me-he was In vine" Johnny,
I will take your honest bouquet-that
big one on tray, fit to be the bridal bed
OF Eve-if you will carry it to this ad-
Dress"
"All right, boss, was my response, as
I took his $40 bill, and observed 1ath
er devilish light in his eye, while he
wrote name on a card. It was a beam
of the light that shone in the eyes of
Cain as the discriminating flame of
heaven shot past his offering and blazed
on Abeps altar. However, wasn't par
ticular about what was going on in his
mind, and he slipped the card in he
bouquet, and I started off to deliver it.
it. Stopping close by to change my note
and eat bit of lunch, good many peo-
pie gathered near the great prize bou-
quet and began to talk about it and to
smell it, and so, whether some Jealous
rival stole that card, or whether I had
dropped it on the street the card was
missing when I took up the great salvo1
OF flowers again.
thastencd back to the place where I
had met the gentleman. He had gone
away in a carriage. I told my trouble
to the hotel clerk, the genial ellis, and
he said, "Pshaw! take it to his wife. He
is no sporting man.
Now, that gentleman l know, by an
accident of passing his house, and I had
often admired the ip6exible, the solidity,
the lofty and self-reliant quality in him.
He was kind to his interiors, manly to
his equals, naughty to his superlors.
About once or twice a year he showed
liquor in his eyes, as if Cain had bred
on Abels stock, and a little liquor
brought out the consanguinity. I said
to myself: ''These flowers Will wither
for which I have been paid. I believe
he meant to send them to his wife, and I
will take them there"
l rang the door bell of his house and
asked for the lady. Shown into the par
lor [ saw my buyers picture over the
mantel The house was not extensively
furnished, but looked like the abode of
perseverance In some moderately COM
pensating profession and slow but gain
ing conquest on half fortune. A lady
entered the parlor and beheld the
flowers. She turned to me and said:
| WnO are these for?
For you, madam"
"For me?" Herface flushed "Who
has dared to send flowers to me ?"
saw [ was in for it somewhere, and
there was no safety but in persistent
lying. "Your husband sent them, Mrs.
=" L had heard his name, and felt that
this was his wife.
my husband?" Her voice faltered.
Chow came he to send me flowers ?
Have you not made mistake ?"
No, madame. He has never bought
flowers from me before He is not a
customer of gallantry. There is no mis-
take about it. -
She seemed all huttered, like widow
told that her dead husband had returned
to life. Looking down at the flowers,
again at his portrait, her eyes dilated,
her temples flushed. She walked to me
like a woman of authority and under
some high mental excitement. Looking
into my eyes she exclaimed:
"What did my husband say"
He said, madame, L have not made
a present to my dear wife for years.
Business and care have arisen between
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. An orange bud she
took, all blinded so, and hid it in her
bosom. She sank upon her knees and
laid her head among the flowers to let
their GOODNESS refresh her parched,
neglected heart, and sobbed the Joy OF
love and confidence again. [ stole away
like citizen Of the world.
AS went up the streets and stopped
at the same hotel, the husband was
there. Johnny" said he, did you
deliver the bouquet % eyes, [ took
it ito your wife. % "To my wife?" eyes,
boss, you are too good man to wander
as you wished to. Go home. The ice
is broken. Your wife is full of graft
tude. Saved by mistake, embrace the
opening made for both of you; plant
these rich blossoms on the grave of your
estrangement, and in the words of the
great good Book, cling to the wife OF
thy youth. 30
He staggered moment, looked as il
he ought to knock me down, and rushed
from the place.
Next day I met her upon his arm.
Johnny he said, "bring her as big
a bouquet every week, and save one
scarlet rose for me-"