The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-07
Are Rea/ Flozve,s Glvlng Way To
 7be Beautlfn/ Artl1Ic1a/ Oues2 So Natural That the Keenes Eye Can Scarcely Note Difference Fresh Flowers Spoil Gowns-Every Variety, As Well
 As Foliage Made Into Most Stunning Effects
rv DOLLY DALRyMpLE.

be any of the delicious odor that real flowers have"
 You are mistaken there," said the
 clever saleswoman. Here we have every perfume that goes with flowers. For in- stance, the violet, the carnation, the
 orchid. which as you know is almost odorless, the rose-in fact every thing that you want"
 Aren't these orchids lovely?" said the visitor as she picked out a corsage bou- quet made of these beautiful flowers NO real orchid was ever lovelier." said I. ''and I do believe the fern leaves are real" I continued, as examined them closely"
 They are,' said the saleswoman. How do you dare to keep them shut up in those boxes?" asked the visitor. Simply that nature has been improved upon, so as to render them imperishable. They are imported direct from Paris, where some clever Frenchman has dis covered process whereby they cure the living, natural leaf in a way so as to perpetuate 1t fresh delicate and lovely"
 And the orchids are fearfully expen-
 sive. aren't they?' I asked.
 Not more so than the real ones," said
 the saleswoman. And then think how perishable the real ones are. One day
 very pretty young woman came into the
 shop wearing a gorgeous bunch of orchids and as she asked me to show her some artificial ones, she took off the ones she
 wore, lovingly caressed them, and said: How hate to give them up sNonsense,' said her practical mother. They spoil your new gown. and in fact every time your friend MT. Smith sends them to you you have the same trouble. Now, get
 busy and match them perfectly and he will never know the difference.' And so she did, and afterward confded to me that the three bouquets of orchids that her best beau sent her each week were carefully put in cut glass bowl and she wore the artificial ones and he never
 knew the difference" q suppose you have many interesting scenes enacted in your artificial conserva- , tory, do you not?" I said to the sales woman, who was inclined to tell us her experiences.
 Yes" said she laughingly, "one day Just before Christmas a woman rushed
 in and threw a bunch of carnations and ferns down and said vociferously: I thought you told me these ferns were real, and here they are all shriy- eled and crumpled.'
 "I replied that the only thing that was
 needed was just little moisture, which would soon revive them. And she shouted: Then they really are sure enough fern leaves?
 And I was delighted to tell her that. we did not misrepresent our goods, and that all 1 told her was true.'' 'Is the gardenia the most popular of all artificial fiowers?" asked the visitor who was looking over the beautiful ones
 in the great, huge box. preparatory to in- yesting.
 Yes, indeed,' said the saleswoman. Many woman who refuses to wear any other sort of artificial flower glories in wearing gardenias.''
 T suppose that comes of so few real ones being seen here in this climate?" I
 yentured. 'and in consequence a woman. does not think that she Is fooIing peo-. ple."
 "Lilies of the valley. American Beauties and violets come next in popularity. In Tact, We have such a demand for these
 flowers that 1t is impossible to keep them Tn stock,' and so saying, she opened a brand new box of violets, fresh from New York. and the visitor and promptly
 invested In a bunch each, pinning them upon our muffs, and joining the thronr of women who have succumbed to inc craze of wearing artificial flowers.