The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-04-07
DEATH HIDDEN
IN A BOUQUET
Plot of a Revolutionist Nipped
In Good Time.


not only makes the flowers, but does
the old mau, who is usually sitting In
the front Of the shop reading news
paper. rises, bustles forward. asks
what is wanted. goes behind the tiny
counter and opens the cases, all the
while appearing to be full OF business.
But it is not long before he calls.
"Katia, have we any tulips?" "Katia.
how much are these roscs?" "katia,
what became of those chrysanthe-
mums?" Then Katia goes and takes
charge of the customer.
One day coach stopped before the
shop, footman resplendent in purple
and gold, with white silk stockings,
opened the coach door. and lady
alighted 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:
81 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 feelingiy. She
has not overpraised your eyes nor the
kindllness 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, wreathed in smiles at such
delicious happening, brought forth her
wares, and the lady bought a plentiful
supply. "I'll take this, and these, and
those, aud that one over there" she
said until she had purchased nearly
an armfui "Send them, or, rather,
bring them to me tomorrow ut o."
"Oh. father" exclaimed Kada as the
door closed behind the lady. II feel
as If an angel mud come down from
heaven to visit me-"
what name did she give yOu?"
Countess Bokanoff."
A singular expression came over the
old mans face, but he said nothing to
his daughter.
The next afternoon Katia took the
flowers to the lady. She did not re-
turn till nearly o'clock. and, when she
did was full of enthusiasm about her
patton. "Oh. father" she exclaimed.
"who 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 10
rubles' worth of flowers once every
weekp'
The first of these statements the
man received without surprise; the Sec
ond arrested his attention.
One day when Katia was making up
her flowers to take to her patron her
father said:
"Katia, the lady has been so good to
us that we should show our apprecia-
tion. have been thinking how we
can best do so and have concluded
there can be no better way than for
you to make a special bouquet Of your
flowers and present them her hus'
hand, the minister"
"Oh, father, would not that bO de-
lightfulp'
Katia set to work at once to make O
specially beautiful bouquet OF flowers
and had them all ready to take to the
minister three days before she was 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 deliver them,
as she was going out her father charg-
ed her to deliver those for the countess.
then, without waiting, to take those for
the minister to his office and to carry
them very carefully. since being of
wax they would be easily injured.
Katia promised to do all this.
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
called her angel that 1t 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 hurry
away TO deliver the latter, according to
her promise, when again her attention
was arrested by that peculiar odor.
Fearing mouse might have crawled
in among the flowers and died there.
she unbound them.
In the center was small glass globe
Inserted ip It was fuse. one end OF
which emitted scarcely perceptibIe
! film of smoke.
The gaze OF the two women met
Both were white as snow. Then Katia
knelt before her patron and begged
her not TO believe her Intentionally
guilty.
"You are as innocent as babe"
said the other ''You have been made
tool"
The countess had not the heart to
strike Katin through her father. Father
and daughter still sell flowers in their
little shop, The police are Ignorant
that revoIutionist lives there The
| minister doesn't know of his narrow