Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-03

| duce a "bIack rose'' had been answered in a
startling manner, for there before them was Ger
| tainly the blacklist rose ever seen. 1t was large
and globular in form, and each curved petal
about the outer margin was edged with vivid
carmine, deepening to ruby and deepest ma
room, willie the heart of the flower was velvety
black, which seemed nevertheless aglow with
flame tints.
All the air around pulsated with its rich per-
:soh, never imagined anything could be so
beautiful exclaimed Hope, with one deep
lit is matchless,'' declared the doctor,
scarcely less excited than she. but where did
you get it Hope? Out with your secret!'
81 bred it myself" replied the young girl
proudly. az didn It tell anybody what I was
trying, for fear they'd laugh at me. and q Il the
others turned out so commonplace"
''Laugh at you'll" repeated Dr.: John. "My
lit lie girl I believe you have achieved very
rare distinction-one of which many foreigners
of rank woulG feel proud of, and which would
be regarded as important by people who make a
business of breeding flowers. But what are you
doing? Why, Hope, how could your
FOR the young girl had raised her scissors,
and with one quick movement the severed
flower lay in her outstretched hand.
Father must see it while it is fresh. The
ground is 90 wet for him to come here"
This little act of daughterly devotion touched
ranch. The best of everything was carried to
father, Just all the little worries and discour-
sgements were scrupulously kept from him.
Hope" said DR.. John one day in July,
''have you ever done anything about that Won
derful black rose of yours?''
az took hundred slips from it in the spring,
and the most of them are nicely rooted. I
thought there might be sale for plants, and
should like to make something out of the roses
to make up for--that time, you know. haven't
let it bloom much, but it is the hardest thing to
stop it. II does seem as If I pinching off
buds all the time. -
"a very valuable quality remarked DR..
John, seriously, 'All the dark roses can find
any record of are among the hybrid perpe uals,
blooming at the most but twice year. But TO
have it properly introduced you ought to put it
in the hands of some leading florist
~ might send it to the firm ordered the
most plants from. But shouldn't know how
to go about it, frankly confessed Hope.
LET me manage the correspondence for
you" proposed the doctor, taking out notebook
and pencil. Now give me the name and ad-
dress of the firm
1T isn't firm. 1t is Just one man !" returned
Hope. ''It is Robert L. Marshall, of Philadel-
Robert L. Marshall!''
DR.. Johns face blanched. Martin. who was
near, saw his hand shake like leaf.
Robert L. Marshall. And of Philadelphia?
note of shrinking cowardice in his voice that
What was there in DR.. Johns past that
dragged its black shadow over his life and
made him terrified at the mere sound of q name?
Oh, if the doctor would only have the COURAGE
the manliness-to face 1t. Martin watched him
with sickening sense of shame at his weakness
and fear.
Robert L. Marshall, am sure" replied
nope. can Wrlte mySelI, LIT. JOln,
she added quickly. lit is selfish to tax You
when you have so much to do"
Hope thought him tired and nervous.
mo, no. will write. proposed" in
sisted DR.. John, who was himself again. But
1t had better go in your name. I will make a
rough draughI OF what think ought to be said,
and you can copy it ont in your own hand"
The next day DR.. John handed Hope the prom
ised model for her letter, repeating in q very
emphatic way his desire that she should copy
1t out in her own hand,
Hope at once sat down and made a COPY Of the
letter. When she had finished her copy she
compared It with the DOCTORS, and smiled o. the
contrast. He had called his trough drauRht''
yet how finished and schola rly it was beside her
own. What beautiful, distinctive hand the
doctor wrote. What peculiar twists and turns
he gave certain letters, yet how elegant the page
looked.
With O willful little nod she folded up DR..
Johns letter, enclosed it in an envelope
sealed and directed it, and gave it to Martin to
mail.
On NE twelfth day after the letter was mailed
she ran down to look at the rosebush and found
DR.. John there before her.
''Oh, DR.. John. :" she cried. ''Do You think
he will trust the description, or will / have to
send rose Oh plant to kim? And If he should
make it one Of the novelties OF the season! But
doctor! Who are those gentlemen coming M
the pathF See. The taller one looks like