THE 



GARDENER. 



OCTOBER 1869. 



THE ROSE. 



[Continued from page 393.) 

 CHAPTER XV. AT A ROSE-SHOW. 



S tlie young knight in the olden time, having reached " y® 

 place ordayned and appointed to trye y® bittermoste by 

 stroke of battle," became naturally curious concerning his 

 adversaries, and, after caring for his horse and looking to 

 his armour, went forth to inspect the Flower of Chivalry, and the lists, 

 in which that flower would shortly form a bed of " Love-lies-bleeding " 

 — so the exhibitor, having finally arranged his Koses, strolls through 

 the glowing aisles of the show. Soon experience will teach him to 

 survey calmly, and to gauge accurately, the forces of his foe ; but now 

 he but glances nervously, furtively, at the scene around him, like a 

 new boy at some public school. The sight brings him hopes and 

 fears. Now a hurried sidelong look shows him flowers inferior to his 

 own, and he is elate, happy. Now an objectionably large Pierre Not- 

 ting obtrudes itself upon his vision, and his heart fails him. He steps, 

 as it were, from the warm stove, gay with Orchids, into the ice-house 

 of chill despair. He is much too anxious and excited to form any 

 just conclusions; and therefore, to engage his thoughts more pleasantly, 

 I will introduce him to his co-exhibitors. 



Viewed abstractedly, these co-exhibitors are genial, generous, intelli- 

 gent, men of refined taste and reverent feelings, with the freshness of a 

 garden and the freedom of the country about their looks and ways. 

 Viewed early in the morning, as the novice sees them now, they are a 

 little dingy, without the freshness of the garden upon them, but with 



2 G 



