Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-02-24
Select Story.
THE GOLDEN TULIP.

w hoG 10 tho PiAIO VI 1IihV JInht' III
friend?' l asked of The little German
florist at the corner shop.
The man named exactly the sum
which possessed in the whole world
and l paid it and took the flower.
Were you mad? l hear areader ask.
No, friend. l was only in love.
The lady of my heart had weak
ness for rare flowers, and | felt sure
that she would prize such gift beyond
expression. Therefore forgot the
various persons, to whom the sum that
| expended was due for value received
and felt happy with the great pot with
its nodding foliage in my arms.
1t was the rarest tulip l had ever
seen. was not skilled enough in the
varieties of flowers to know whether
the man told me the truth or not when
he said that only he possessed flow.
er of those colors, and that by certain
mystic florist arts he had produced the
flower, which he called the golden tu-
lip But felt that it might very well
be so when I observed its splendor.
1t was almost pure gold, save where,
at the bottom of the cup laid hecks Of
scarlet and white, and besides it the
other tulips on the stands lost their
beauty. and looked dull and faded.
The pot in which it was planted was
a curiosity, too, a Chinese thing with a
perspectiveless picture of lady walk
ing beside blue little river, attended
by person with a fan and surrounded
by square flower pots.
The florist offered to send a boy
with the pot, but | would not permit
it; who knew thai the plant would ar
rive whole and sound, undecapitated at
its destination?
l carried it myself high in my arms,
the flower out of harms reach above
my head, the leaves tanning my face,
and found myself In the presence of
Helen Harrington, exactly at the mo-
ment when she tripped, watering pot
in hand, into her garden.
Of course she admired the flower,
and of course she thanked me. and her
smiles were so bewitching and her eyes
so bright, and she was so evidently
really pleased that found courage to
speak as | had not dared to speak be-
fore, and tell her how I loved her.
Then | discovered that she returned
my affections, and to end the story as
briefly as possible, before we parted
we were betrothed.
Certainly, under the circumstances,
my trust in Micawber's expectations of
something turning up was remark
aile.
had not cent in the world, not a
patient, though my sign, bright with
gilding-'Theodore Holly, M. D. had
glittered on my office door for two
or more, and no wealthy rela-
tive to aid me in time of need.
Yet l asked girl accustomed to re-
finement, if not luxury, to keep house
for me in a years time with as much
sang froid as millionaire could have
as coolly as had spent my
last dime promised to my landlady
that very evening" upon tulip
I intended vaguely to be rich some
day, of course-every man does-and
| had no doubt that luck would change
before long.
Therefore | felt no compunctions OF
conscience, but went right home in a
merry mood, thinking myself the hap
piest fellow under the sun.
Of course, | expected that my course
of love would run on smoothly; but be-
fore the next day had passed | found
out my mistake. had an early caller
in the morning, no other than Helen S
father, stout old gentleman, with an
manner and loud voice, and
a general air of well-to-do respecta-
bility quite annihilating to one of my
peculiar disposition and habits.
Hitherto, however, he had been very
gracious to me, and l was quite unpre-
pared for the angry frown with which
he stalked into my untidy room as |
opened the door for him.
My heart sank, but placed chair
for him, and assuming my sweetest
smile, remarked that we were having
charming weather