The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1909-04-15
} THE ARTIFICIAL
, FLOWER MAKER.
Observation-Disclosures
BY HELEN SOPHIE eAsHE.


ciation.l
On one of the principal streets Of st.
Petersburg stands little shop iii
whose windows are samples Of artifi-
cial flowers. 1t is kept actually by
Ivan Ivanovitch. though it really ex-
lists by virtue Of his daughter Katia.
katia not only makes the flowers, but
does the selling. When a customer en-
ters, the old man, who is usually sit
ting in the front Of the shop reading
newspaper, rises. buStles forward.
asks what is wanted. goes behind the
tiny counter and opens the cases. all
the while appearing to be full of bust
ness. But it is not long before he
calls, "Katia. have we any tulips?'
'Katia. how much are these roses:"
''Katia, what became Of those crysan-
thelnums" Then Katia goes and
takes charge Of the customer
One day a coach stopped before the
shop, a footman Respondent in purple
and gold. with white silk stockings
opened the coach door, and a lady
alightcd and came into the shop. The
old man met her; but, without reply
ing to his question as to how he could
serve her. she said:
II am told by one who has bought
artificial flowers here that you have a
daughter who makes them"
Katia came forward.
$50 you are the GIRL" said the lady.
"of whom my friend. Nine. Voronka.
has spoken Of to ME SO feelingly. She
has not overpraised your eyes nor the
kindness Of your expression. 1t does
not indicate one born to do great
deeds; rather one born to love ones
fellow beings. Nine. Voronka tells
me. too, that your flowers are as lovely
as yourself"
Katia, wreatled in smiles ut such a
delicious happening, brought forth her
wares, and tine lady bought a plentiful
supply. "Ill take this, and these, and
those. and that one over there" she
said, until she had purchased nearly
an armful. 'Send them, or. rather,
bring them to me tomorrow at s in the
evening""
"Oh. father" exclaimed Katia as the
door closed behind the lady. Il feel
as if an angel had come down from
heaven to visit me.'
"What name did she give you?'
Countess Bokianoff."
A singular expression came over the
old mans face, hut he said nothing to
his daughter.
The next afternoon Katia took the
flowers to the lady. She did not re.
turn till nearly Z o'clock and when she
did was full Of enthusiasm about her
patron. "Oh. father" she exclaimed
"whom do you suppose she is? No
less a person than the wife of the min
lister OF the interior! And the order
she gave me! I'm to carry her IL
rubles' worth of flowers once ever,
week"
The first Of these statements thu
man received without surprise; the sec
ond arrested his attention.
One day when Katia was making ur
her flowers to take to her patron bel
father said:
"Katia, the lady has been so good to
US that we should show our apprecia
ton. have been thinking how we
can best do so and have concluded
there can be no better way than fol
you to make special bouquet of your
flowers and present them to her hus
band, the minister"
ooh, father, would not that be de
lightful"
Katia set to work ut once to make
a specially beautiful bouquet Of flow
ers and had them all ready to take e
the minister three days before she V"
to fill the next order for the countess
She put them up in one of the cases
where they would not be injured and
told her father on no account to touch
them. When the day arrived to de
liver them, as she was going out bel
father charged her to deliver those fol
the countess, then, without waiting. t.
take those for the minister to his Of
fee and to carry them very carefully
since being Of wax they would be
easily injured. Katia promised to dc
all this. Her father folded her in his
arms, kissed her notwithstanding
unusual with hm-and she sailed
forth.
AS she walked with bouquet under
each arm she thought she perceived
an odor something like burning paper
but she was so intent on the surprise
she was about to give her whom she
I called her angel that it did not make
much impression ON her. Arrived at
her destination. she laid aside the flow.
ers for the countess, and with spar
king eyes and glowing cheeks she held
forth her and her fathers gift for the
minister. Then she was about to hur-
ry away to deliver the latter, accord
ing to her promise, when again her at
tention was arrested by that peculiar
odor. Fearing u mouse might have
1 crawlel in among the flowers and died
there, she unbound them.
In the center was small glass
! globe. Inserted III it was fuse, one
end Of which emitted scarcely per-
| ceptible film of smoke.