The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-08-14
DEATH HIDDEN
IN A BOUQUET
Plot Of a Revolutionist Nipped
In Good Time.


On one of the principal streets OF St
Petersburg stands a little shop IN
whose windows are samples OF arun-
cial flowers. 1t is kept actually by van
Ivanoyitch. though it really exists by
virtue of his daughter Katia. katia
not only makes the flowers. but does
he selling. When a customer enters
the old man, who is usually sitting II
the front Of the shop reading a news>
naper. rises, bustles forward, asks
what is wanted. goes behind III uny
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 roses!' KAUAI
what became Of those c~hrysanthe-
mums?" Then Katia goes and taxes
charge Of the customer.
One day a coach stopped bef the
shop. a footman ~resplendent In purple
and gold, with white silk stockings.
opened the coach door, and a lady
aiishted and came into the shop. the
old man met her; but. without reply
ing to his question as to how ne cou'd
serve her, she said:
Il am, told by n who has bought
artificial flowers here that you have q
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 10 feelingly. She
has not overpraised your eyes nor the
kindness of your expression. 1t doe
not Indicate one born to do great
deeds: rather one born to love n
fellow beings. Nine. Voronka tells me.
too. that your flowers are as lovely az
yourself"
Katia. wreathed in smiles at such q
delicious happening, brought forth her
wares, and the lady bought a plentiful
supply. I'LL take this, and these, and
those, and that n over there" she
said. until she had purchased nearly
an armful. "Send them. or. rather.
bring them to me tomorrow at ."
"Oh, father" exclaimed Katia az the
door closed behind the lady, II feel
as If an angel had come down from
heaven to visit me-"
what name did she give you?"
Countess BokianO6."
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 Z O'Clock. and when she
did was full Of enthusiasm about her
patron. "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
week.
The first of these statements the
man received without surprise: the Q c
ond arrested his attention.
One day when Katia was making up
her towers to take to her patron her
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 for
you to make a special bouquet of your
flowers and present them to her hus-
band, the minister"
"Oh. father. would not that be de-
ughtful"
Katia set to work at once to make a
specially beautiful bouquet of flowers
and had them all ready to take to- the
minister three d~ayssbef6re i1e~wassto
fflf 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 Il 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 dow-
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 to4hurry
away to deliver the latter. according to
her promise. when again her attention
was arrested by that peculiar 0d0r.
Fearing a mousse might have crawled
in among the flowers and died tbeIe.
she unbound them. "
In the center was q small glass globe.
Inserted In it was a fuse. one end Ut
which emitted a scarcely perceptible
tflm Of smoke. &ff .'z5l
The gaze Of the two women me-
Both were white as snow. Then Kltai
knelt before her patron and begged
her not TO believe her intentionally
guilty. ~
.sYnn ara q. irro~on% - : has,ass