Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-05-05
TIE ARTIFICIAL
FLOWER MAKER.

On one OF tho principal streets Of st.
Petersburg stands a little shop :. In
whoae windows are samples Of aFti6-
cal flowers. IT b kept actually BY
ivan Ivanoviteh. though Il really ex.
lists BY virtue OF his daughter Katia.
Katia not only makes the flowers. but
does the selling. when a customer en-
tiers. the old man. who b usually sit
ting IN the front OF the shop reading
newspaper, rises, bustles forward,
asks what II wanted, goes behind the
tiny counter and opens the cases, all
the while appearing to DO fun OF busi-
ness. But II is not long before be
calls "Ratia. have we any tullps?'
"Katia. how much are these roses r.
''Katia, what became Of those cryaan-
themumsr Then Katia goes and
takes charge Of the customer.
One day = coach stopped before the
shop, a footman respondent in purple
and gold. with white silk stockings,
opened the coach door, and a lady
allghted and came into the shop. The
old man met her; but. without reply
Ing 10 his question as 20 how be could
serve her. she said:
II am told BY one who has bought
artificial lowers here that you have
daughter who makes them"
Katia came forward.
80 you are the girl" said the lady,
''of whom my friend, Nine. Voronka,
has spoken Of TO me 80 feeIlngly. She
has not overpraised your eyes nor the
kindlineas Of your expression. II does
not indicate one born to do great
deeds; rather one born 10 love ones
fellow beings. Mime. voronka tells
me, too. that your flowers are as lovely
o. yourself"
Katia. wreathed in smiles at such a
delicious happening, brought forth her
wares. and the lady bought a plentiful
supply. "I'lI take this, and these, and
those. and that one over there" she
said, until she had purchased nearly
an armful. 4Send them, or, rather,
bring them to me tomorrow at in the
evening"
"oh. father" exclaimed Katia as the
door closed behind the lady. II feel
a. n an angel had come down from
heaven to visit me-"
-what name did she give your
"Counteas BokianOff"
A singular expression came over the
old mans face, but he said nothing to
his daughter
The next afternoon KatIa took the
sewers to the lady. She did not re-
turn TIN nearly Z o'clock and when she
dd was fun Of enthusiasm about her
patron. "0h. father" she exclaimed.
''whom do you suppose she Isl No
less a person than the wife Of the min.
lister Of the lnteriorl And the order
she save mel I'm to carry her 10
Eublea' worth OF flowers once every
week.
Tho FIRST OF these statements the
man received without surprise: the sec
ond arrested hls attention.
One day when Katia was making up
her flowers to take 20 her patron her
fathar said:
~Katia, the lady has been 80 good to
ug that We should show our apprecia-
zion. have been thinking how We
VII H&EN AQ W anu AANW NUAEA0ANA
there can be no better way than for
you 10 make = special bouquet Of your
flowers and present them to her hus-
band, the minister"
'Oh. father. would not that be de-
lightfuiF'
Katia set 70 work at once to make
a specially beautiful bouquet Of dow
era and had them all ready 70 take 10
the minister three days before abe was
10 ali the next order for the countess,
She put them up In one Of the cases
whAre they would not b injured and
told her father on no account to touch
tham. when the day arrived to de-
liver them. a. she was going out her
father charged her 70 deliver those for
tha countess. then. without waiting, to
take those for the minister to his Of
nce and 20 carry them very carefully.
since being Of wax they would be
easily injured. Katia promised 10 do
al this Her father folded her IN his
arms. kissed her fervehtly -somethlng
unusual with him-and she sallied
furth.
~ W4A% &&AA%4 WAAM y ANWN4Na 8AAAA4A
each arm she thought she perceived
an odoF something like burning paper,
but she was 20 intent ON the surprise
che was about 70 give her whom she
called her angel that Il did not make
much impression on her. Arrived at
her destination. she laid aside the COW.
ere for the countess. and with apaFe
king eyes aud glowing cheeks she held
forth her and her fathers gift for the
minister Then she was about 70 bur
~ away 10 deliver che latter. accord
ing 10 her promise. when again her az.
eontion vas arrested by that peculiar
odor Fearing a mouse might have
eEawled b among the flowers and dled
thsrs. che unbound them.
In The center was q ANAL glass
globe. Inserted n Il was q fuse. one
end % which emitted q scarcely per.
eepttble dim o. smoke.
The gaae 90 the tw0 wcmen met
Both we're white "a snow. Thea Kn-
tia knalt before her patron and bemzed