Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1912-08-29
My Lady OF
The Flowers
By F. A. MICHEL


threw down my palette and brushes
and. taking a musket. went into the
Notifications. There l was wounded
and sent to a hospital
Most Of the women had left the cap.
ttal before the Germans arrived. Some
remained because they couldn't get
away and a few to assist in taking
care Of the wounded soldiers. One
morning l was lying on my cot in
ward where the beds lined the walls,
leaving an aisle in the center. The
door was opened by nurse. and lady
entered carrying a basket OF flowers.
Stopping at the first cot. she took from
the basket some OF the flowers and
handed them to the occupant with a
few kind words. Then she passed TO
the next and the next. doing the same
90 each.
II was probably not FIVE minutes
from the time she entered the room be-
fore ! was madly In love with her.
She was beautiful but it was not her
beauty alone that enthralled me.
There was about her a certain serene
purity. a refinement and. above ALL a
gentle dignity that | had never seen
combined in any woman. must have
forgotten to keep my admiration to my
self, for she lowered her eyes under
my gaze and instead of speaking to me
as she did the others simply handed
me the flowers and passed on.
From that moment my thoughts
were all of her. At the same hour the
next day looked for her to come
again. but she did not. Whether she
went the roundjof the hospitals. visit
ing each once. or visited only ours /
did not know. | only knew that was
disappointed that she did not come
again.
The Prussians came and went.
Their going left Paris in the hands of
the commune. / left the hospital dur
ing the period Of the commune SUI
premacy | was young. In love and of
an artistic temperament | longed to
find the lady of the flowers and pro-
tect her from the misguided mob who
were spreading fire throughout the
city. who were killing and being
killed
Doubtless she was shut up in her
home covering in garret or cellar fear
ing to be murdered | roamed the
streets looking at the burning of some
public building. all the while dreaming
of the lady of the flowers.
was standing one day on the curb
Just outside the garden of the 1ulie-
ries when. hearing shouts in the direc-
ton Of the Place de la Concorde. i
looked and saw a crowd OF commu-
nists coming When they came near
me | perceived that their leader was
woman. and when she passed me
was filed with horror
She was my lady Of the fowersl
What change from that plying
figure scattering flowers and kind
words among wounded soldiers to the
leader Of n mob. Her. dress was now
short and on her head she wore red
cap. Her face was lighted with a zeal
such as Joan OF Arcs might have
worn For n moment ! was too par
alyzed to move. and then rs the throng
of wretchcd creatures passed on
turned and hurried after them.
Guided by their leader. some Of their
number pushing a cart smelling OF pc
troleum. they marched rapidly toward
the palace of the Tuileries and. leas-
Ing the street joined a vast crowd Of
shouting madmen IN the court. Car
tying their petroleum to where others
had placed kindling in the building.
they poured it on the wood and ignit-
ed II.
could not keep her whom ! had
rallied the flower lady. but now the
petroleum lady. In view for the jos
Ting crowd But presently when a
red flame burst forth l saw her stand
Ing on a barrel her face lighted as
can imagine Joan's may have been in
the moment Of victory. The crowd
surged forward and she was lost to
view.
Then came the turn when the com
mune. after rolling like the crest of
wave about 10 break, went down
with a crash There was fighting. men
and women. too-friug from behind
barricades from windows from the
tops OF houses. at the soldiers in the
streets II was the last gasp Of mad
effort for Utopia. The barricadcs
were taken. men on the roofs were
picked off. and the firing degenerated
into random shots.
Night came on. and l walked down
street where the last barricade had
been defended had been hunting my
lady Of the flowers Vainly ! had
sought her face among those bands
that had held Paris for three days by
the throat. | had not found her. and ]
thought ! should 20 mad II | did not
find her ! wished 10 draw her away,
to beg her to abandon her road to ruin
and let me love her forever. | came
10 the deserted barricade. climbed II
ssd stumbled down on the other side
There. lying on the pavement. lighted
BY lamp in a window. was the
white face OF my lady of the flowers
With a cry | stopped and caught hel
In my arms. | Rugged her to me tc
bring back the ebbing life. I covered
her face with kisses.
Her eyes opened She looked into
mine and recognized me. She was TOO
far gone TO speak. but through thos'
glorious windows her soul came forti
IN, O..,