The daily Alaskan., 1905-08-04


 crimson splendor."
 One day while she was thus talking to her flowers she looked up, and there, leaning on the low garden wall, was young man. Papinta had been so ab- sorbed in her pets that for a moment she saw the face of the stranger through them. The features seemed contained within the encircling petals of a rose, which In a twinkllng faded Into a lily. then into other flowers ln the sarae rapid succession. In her ia. ther's house were marbles of ancient gods and goddcsseS, and the stranger rs head and shoulders Co Papinta resem' bled bust of Apollo. The face was certainly very beautiful and the eyes looked at the girl with an expression of marked approval
 "You love your flowers" said the young man.
 Indeed do"
 "I call them my children"
 "So do l. How strange"
 "win you give me oneT'
 Paplnta plucked budding rose, went to the wall and gave it to him. He took it, enjoyed Its beauty and It's fragrance, then, turning hls eyes again on Papinta, said:
 Tt Is very lovely, but there Is a flower In your garden far lovelier."
 "whichy' asked Papinta, looking aside.
 Tt has blush In lts cheek that no other flower has. for it comes and goes within few moments"
 Such natural love making In Spain has never been permitted, but it was some weeks before Don Miguel discoy- erel that hls daughter, every day at tending her flowers, met a young stran- ger. and when he learned the secret it was too late. Pspinta's heart had gone Into the possession of the father of the flowers. or course her meetings were stopped, for she was not allowed Co go to her plants again. Whether it wns that she mourued the separation from them or from Der lover, or both, she fell nl and psssed rapidly Into a burning fever.
 While d, ,llrious Paplnta saw a vision She was In heaven and in that part of heaven to which she was assigned tc dwell. the heavenly gardens. The flow CTS there seemed endowed with life, some lifting their heads erect as lf con Scious of possessing supernatural strength for good, others modcstly bowling as 1T In a sanctuary, while some crept on the surface as if con scious of unworthlnesS. On all there shone light Of heavenly splendor. Presently they raised their heads and tuned them In the same direction. "a Tiuta looked, and there coming she saw the father of the flowers. He was smiling upon her, and when he drew near he said:
 Welcome. paplnta. Here we shall care for the flowers untrammeled by the ms Of earth. They will not be bGghted by drought or storm. These have endured and died to be born again lu this heavenly kingdom. Changes there viii be, but not the changes through which they have pass ei. The transitions will rather be iron one delight to another. Come, mother Of the flowers, let me show you our heavenly children"
 He led her along paths that sparkled with crystals and shells and pebbles. The flowers as they approached turned toward them. breathing upon them as they passed such fragrance as Papinta had never known before. There were the rich flowers Of the tropics, wild flowers both of mountain and of low land and tiny bits such as vi5lets and lilies of the valley.
 These" said the father of the flow CTS. pointing to the larger ones, "are our grown sons and daughters; these the smaller ones, our younger children, and these. the tiny ones, our babes"
 From her vision Psplnts passed into a consciousness of her real surround ings. Her father and mother wece standing looking down upon her, and there between them was the mortal father of the flowers
 When Don Miguel had seen that he must lose his daughter or bring the stranger to her he went out for the purpose and found his guest walt ng without the gates. Don Miguel brought him In. and he stood with papinta's parents over her bed, waiting tn she should regain her faculties.
 The young man had come from Mad rid. His life work was the study of plants. and he had determined to pur- sue his studies In connection with prac- teal cultivation. For this purpose he had purchased tract of land near the grounds of Don Miguel Rebera, and N&oa he first came upon Papinta he was engaged In experimenting the erection of his buildings and laying out his gardens.
 The father and mother of the flowers had myrIads of botanical children and some human ones The latter were in. variably given the name of some plant