The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-10-27


and his brother must find their green
house and nursery gard, very prafta-
BILE, thought Cecy; and through little
side gate she entered, and took direct
path over the lawn to the glass door,
which was open.
ooh, how lovely, how lovely" ex-
claimed Cecy in an under-tone, after she
had descended the three or four steps
which took her fairly into the green
house. She stood there in the warm,
fragrant atmosphere, and looked about
her. Shelves above shelves, ranks upon
ranks, of the most luxuriant plants,
more than half of them in full bloom.
Great double carnations of every shade
-purest white, intensest crimson, deli
cately veined and gorgeously tipped,
fragrant as the spice gardens of SIAM
bsul; camellias so'idly white hfelessly
beautiful, as if their whole soul had
spent itself upon their marvellous petals;
purple gloxinias, and exquisite pale
daplines; ferns cool and dewy in their
low bed of moist sand, their foliage of
inimitable traccry and veining, finer than
lace-work, monthly roses. tea-roses, the
''sofrano,' the ''cloth of gold" their
slender stems bending beneath the swC It
burden of rarest loveiness: creamy lilies,
tinted grayish- purple, with their subtle
perfume that intoxicates; and on their
tall stalks, milk-white tube-roses, fra
| grant to marvel.
Cecy loved flowe 5 almost with pas
sion; she walked softly along the boarded
Path, walled in as it wee by perfume on
either side. Now and then she timidly
| touched some radiant petal for greeting
and bending. she laid her cheek again st
the cool 81 cen ferns faucying herself for
| a moment back again under the gray
ledge in a noble forest where she had
once rested and dreamed an hour among
the wild ferns growing there.
But where is the gardener?' thought
Cecy at last suddenly realizing that she
was alone in the green house. Il shall
have to find him soon, oc shall be late
for breakfast, and Bell must be ready for
the reception by halfpast ten. Oh, there's
another door; l suppose it leads where
they keep the sand and flower pots AMI
tools. The gardener may be in theIe.
I'll just look, any way"
The door was ajar, and she pnshed it
open, thus finding that it was another
part of the green house itself, a small
room with a few cactus plants in pot on
its shelves. and some rough, bristly stems
climbing up the framework. In the
centre of the room was an immense tab
containing a tropical tree-ike plant, and
standing on a bench carefully examining
the topmost was the gardener. Not Mr..
Ravel, Cecy thought at once hewas not old
enough for that, but probably one of his
assistants. He was a handsome young
fellow in rough gray working suit and
knit vest. Hearing Cecy's step he turned
and with an inquiring glance regarded
the honest gray eyes and glowing face of
the girl before him, dressed in her pill
grim gray.
81 came for flowers" said Cecy, pro-
ceeding at once to business. p want
tea-rose bud and some smilax, if you
please"
Certainly, with the greatest plea
sure!' replied the young man, springing
chcrubic face it is-llke morning in the
| bass relief!'
They went back to the rose Shelf and,
with half dismay, Cccy beheid him cut
for her lavishly at least half dozen of
the rarest roses, besides buds
"Why, l don't want but one," she
said, in a concerned voice; Il have only
dollar to pay for the whole, and I must
have heliotrore and salilax and seranium
leaves
PAY" exclaimed the young man, in
4 . Saystiied tone.
"Ies. indeed" said Cccv. positively.
'My cousin Bell says SIG ,;ever likes to
! have her flowers charged to hef, and she
only wants a very few to wear in her
hair to a reception. l a,n af:Gin Mr.
Eavei will be augry because you havs
cut all thos,r roses, such long stems too p
"Mr. Rave, @, MT care, said the young
man. with an anurs CLEAN in his ives;
"you shall have the roses for nothing, if
You will accept them"
ooh, thank yo ~ exclaimed Ceey, d.
lishtedly. "Pcrhlps You are Mr.. Rsvel
yourself?"
"oh no. he replied; sit is my uncle
who owns this green house. but work
in it more than he does. 1 imagine y ou
have not been here before ."
''No, haven't" answered Cecy: ssbpt
it was very easy to find the place, they
gave me such particular directions. +
knew it at once by its being on the side
hill, and having the two houses Just alike
close by. Now some smilax, if you please
about thirty cents WORTH
The gardener cut out generous hand |
full Of the long graceful sprays,
Aud now the heliotrope?" he said,
pleasantly, turning to where it stood. and |
gathering the handsomest blooms he
could find. Then breaking off a branch |
Of rose geranium full Of leaves, he put it
with the rest in Cecy's basket. Cecy
handed him Bells dollar, which he took.
coloring a little, ond thanked her.
"Won't you look around among the |
flowers a little?" he asked. '.There NAV
be something else you will fancy"
"Thank you." said Cccy, thinking that |
here was the most splendid greenhouse
with the most obliging gardner she had
ever seen. She wished she had BROUGHT |
her purse with her, for at such reason 4
BILE prices she certainly might afftri a
few plants for her room at Aunt Maria's
and they would be such JOY all winter.
l he young man watched every chance
on her expressive face, and felt thorough
ly pleased with his customer, the fearless,
bright young girl who hal come upon
him so suddenly like vision as he stood
pruning his rhododendron. He wished
he could learn her name and where she
lived.
GLOW much would this coste' asked