Year: 1878


friend ?" asked of the little German florist
at the corner shop. ,


The man named exactly the sum which l
possessed in the whole world, and l paid 1t
and took the flower.


"Were you mad?" 1 hear reader ask.
No, friend >, I was only in love.


The lady of my heart had weak kness tor
rare flowers, and felt sure that she would
prize such gift beyond expression. There
fore, forgot the various persons to whom
the sum that I expended was due for value
received, and felt happy with the great pot
with its nodding foliage in my arms.


1t was the rarest tulip had ever seen. l
was not skilled enough in the varieties of flow
ers to know whether the man told me the
truth or not when he said that only he pos
sessed flower of those colors, and that by
certain mystic florists arts he had produced
the flower, which he called the golden
tulip" But felt that it might very we'll be
SO when l observed its splendor.


1t was almost pure gold, save where, at the
bottom of the cup, lay fecks of scarlet and
white, and beside it the other tulips on the
stand lost their beauty, and looked dull and
faded.


The pot in which it was planted was Gu
riosity, too, Chinese thing with perspective
less picture of a lady walking beside blue
little river, attended by person with fan
and surrounded by square flower pots.


The florist offered to send boy with the
pot, but l would not permit it; who knew
that the plant would arrive whole and sound,
and undeca ptated, at its destination


carried it myself, high in my arms, the
flower out of harms reach above my head,
the leaves tanning my face, and found myself
in the presence of Helen Harrington, exactly
at the moment when she tripped, watering
pot in hand, into her garden.


OF course sne admired the flower, and OF
course she thanked me, and her smiles were
80 bewitching and her eyes so bright, and she
was so evidently really pleased that | found
courage to speak as had not dared to speak
before, and tell her how loved her.


Then | discovered she returned my atfec'
tions, and to end the story briefly as possible,
before we parted we were betrothed.


Certainly, under the circumstances, my
trust in Macawbers expectation of some.
thing turning up" was remarkable. l had
not cent in the world, not patient, though
my sign, bright with gilding-"Theodore Hol'
ly, NJ. D."-had glittered on my office door
for two months or more, and no wealthy rela.
tives to aid me in time of need. Yet asked
a girl accustomed to refinement, if not luxu-
ry, to keep house for me in years time with
as much g.troid as millionaire could
have exhibited, as coolly as | had spent my
last dime (promised to my landlady that very
EVENING" upon tulip!


I intended vaguely to be rich some day, of
course every man does, and | had no doubt
that luck would change before long. There
fore felt no compunctions OF conscience. but
went right home in merry mood thinking
myself the happest fellow under the sun.


Of course, expected that my course OF
love would run on smoothly; but before the
next day passed / found out my mistake. l
had all early caller in the morning, no other
than Heens father, a stout old gentleman
with an imposing manner, and loud voice,
and general air of well.to do respectability
quite annihilating to one of my peculiar dis
position and habits.


Hitherto, however, he had been very polite
and gracious to me, and | was quite unpre-
pared for the angry frown with which he
slalked into my untidy room as opened the
door for him.


My heart sank, but I placed chair for
him, and assuming my sweetest smile, re-
marked that we were having "charming
weather"


"Charming fddlesticks!" was his answer.
81 did not come here to talk about the wealth
er, and you know it. Don't you consider
yourself precious rascal, sir =


I stared at him in amaZement


mo one has ever dared to call me so, sir"
I answered. d"


Hold your tongue, sir! cried the old
know you are one. A pretty fellow, indeed,
to ask girl to marry him within the year.
What do you mean by it ?"


"That love her, sir" | said.


bah p cried the old gentleman. "Love-
fine love, indeed When we love people we
have some consideration for their comfort.
What is Your wife (if you ever have one) 60
ing to live on, sir. Air, sir, like chameleon
Good Heaven! your impudence surprises
me-"


"We must all have beginning, sir" l
said "You had yours, believe"


"A beginning" cried the old gentleman:
81 did not begin by associating with wild
young fellows whose very acquaintance was
ruinous to my reputation. l did not spend
my nights drinking and gambling. l did
not spend the hours which should have been
devoted to study in recovering from the et-
fects of whisky and beer. A new way to rise
in the world And that is your way. You
can't deny it, Rise You'll sink down to the
very gutter. What right have you to ask
girl to marry your"


I put my head down on my hands, and hid
my face for very shame. 1t was all true
enough. | was reckless, wild, unsteady. Yet
| tried to falter at some assertion that | was
not so bad as some men after all, and that
Intended to have large practice, and be
steady and prosperous some day. Above all,
that loved Helen better than life; which
was true enough Helen knew.


Good intentions pave the lower regions"
said the old gentleman, when | had finished.
Speaking rather more kindly than before, but
still decidedly 81 cannot give my daughter
to one who had given no proof that he Intends
to put into practice. But, aside from your
habits, I have always liked you. think you
might, if you choose, become an honor TO
YOUR profession, and rise in the world in every
sense and since Helen has given her heart
to you, will make compromise You are
both young. You can afford to wait for each
other. Abandon your evil habits, 60 to some
distant city, then work hard. and strive to
become worthy of the love of good woman,
and at the end of three years return. Then
if you are what you should be, you may
have my child"