The Saint Paul globe., 1904-07-10

IA N interesting article In New York
M weekly tells of unique Industry
which, for want of better name,
is called the flower hospital Everyone
who has walked about on New York
streets has wondered how the men at
street corners are able to sell roses
and Violets so cheap. This article ex-
plains why. These beautiful punches
OF Vlolets for quarter, and a dozen
pink roses for so cents are without
doubt convalescents from a flower hos
pltal. The latter is usually situated in
the rear Of some big florist shop and
here are placed faded flowers which
are subjected to treatment after which
they are sold at greatly reduced prices
TO the street sellers. In this hospital
you viii find blossoms IN all stages of
decay; budding heads that have been
snapped off, faded roses, or carnations
with stems of unequal lengths. These
are all jumbled together at first, then
are sorted and carefully treated by the
attendants who know exactly how to
make them over into what appear to be
the freshest flowers. According to this
article wiring is the first thing TO be
done TO construct a street bouquet.
The, Wire is concealed by an artificial
STEM Roses and carnations are treat
ed in this manner. One of the most
remarkable things done in the hosnital
Is to make full-blown roses over into
buds. When the rose enters what is
called the third class, that is, when 1t
Is IN 1uil bloom, it goes to the street
SeAers, a1ter sojoUrn in the hospital.
Ihere the doctor" pierces the base Of
the rose with q wire and draws the
petals together, making the rose again
into bud. After this is accomplished
1t would deceive the elect. Whar is
oone with faded violets Is still more
Wohuer1ui. FIRST Of all they are put
into salt water, after which thew are
made into punches and touched up
with violet paint. They now resemble
Ifesh V1oletS, but there is one more
treatment, and that IS peffuming them.
The writer says that sometimes the
Vlolets you purchase on the street
smell OF cheap perfume. Now you
Know why. There is something partic-
uiariy d1Sheartening in this account of
flower hospitals for one has always
liked to think that there were a few
tnIngS Which We're preserved from the
bIlghtlng commercialism Of the age
and the beauties of nature were surely
something that We supposed no one
could tamper with. But even the mod
est little violet can be made to smile
aruncIally and forced to hold up its
head after its best day is over. One
really wishes one had never heard of
that flower hospital"
In one Of the current magazines
which has been publishing a series on
the American newspaper. there is a
most interesting article on the news
10
written by the political editor of one
OF the most prominent OF METROPOLITAN
papers and should be read by all DO
lItical reporters or those who have as
plratons in that direction. He makes
a point of the mental and physical
strain of the life of the political re-
porter. His work is never done. He
must be able to work all night and
then all day if needs be, and if his
health is precarious or his ability de-
pendent on his physical condition. he
would better not try this particular
work. He points to the death of Julian
Ralph In the prime of life, as an ex-
ample of the man who was literally
worn out by the demands of political
newspaper work. Then a political re-
porter should be a gentleman with
nlgh sense of honor; he should have
tact and diplomacy and be able to rec
ognize the difference between some
thing told him for his own ear and for
publication. He thinks, too, that prac-
tlca4 experience among voters. and
knowledge of the inS and outs of some
particular ward, is better equipment for
the political reporter than much read
ing OF books on political economy.
Some of the young reporters fresh
from college having finished courses in
ctvics imagine that they are perfectly
equipped to go into political Journal
l-c--
that long apprenticeship is necessary
before they get an insight into the
workings of practical politics The
writer gives many interesting anee-
dotes OF conventions, interviews with
candidates and incidents showing how
necessary it is for the reporter to be a
man of his word and the possessor of
lutte loyalty to ones paper is the first
and last essential
The Bright Face of Danaer-By Robert
ReIs0n Reito1 Stephens; dl l. G, Page & Co.
and Stationery company
Mr.. Stephens is follower and stu
dent of Dumas There are indeed
pages in this exciting novel when 1t is
difficult to believe that one is not fol-
lowing the strenuous adventures of a
Dumas hero. The time IS the year
360S, the place the provinces near
Paris, and the hero is the young Henri
de Launay, son of the Sieur de la
Tournoire, who is taunted by a young
girl that he is milksep and knows
nothing of life save that which he has
learned from books This being pretty
near the truth, the young man declares
that he will at once set forth TO Paris
and will cut off the mustaches of an
other young man whose hirsute adorn-
ment has reused admiration In the
breast of the young woman. So On a
trusty horse and followed by faithful
retainer. Henri sets out, followed by
his mothers tears, and on the second
day has an adventure which is the be-
ginning of the remarkable affair in
which he engages and furnishes as