S34 THE FLORIST. 



from Inermis). They had always regarded Mr. Rivers 's Catalogue 

 with as much reverence as a Roman Catholic could feel on receiving a 

 letter from the Pope — (" Hear, hear," from Pius tlie Ninth) — for he 

 was indeed the Papa or Father of Roses ; and they had looked for its 

 appearance as anxiously as young ladies awaiting les modes from Paris, 

 for Mr. R. was their arbiter elegantiarum, and set the fashion in Roses. 

 Now, for the first time, the publication had been received by certain 

 malcontents with evident disrespect, and not satisfied with expressing 

 their complaints sub rosa, they had summoned a general meeting. 

 She called upon them to come forward and state their grievances, that 

 the case miglit be fully discussed. 



Madame Guinoisseau, H.P., then gracefully rose, and a general 

 murnmr of admiration followed among the Field Marshals, Generals, 

 Colonels, and other gentlemen present, as also from the Emperor 

 Napoleon himself She felt, in common with every Rose that bloomed, 

 nothing but love and respect for dear Mr. Rivers : still she thought he 

 had not done her justice. Let them recall her history, and judge. She 

 arrived in that garden in November last, and, though a perfect stranger, 

 had experienced a most gratifying reception, being placed in a most 

 agreeable locality and fed upon a most liberal diet. She had done her 

 best, in consequence, to give satisfaction, and had good reason to be 

 proud of her success. One morning, towards the end of June, the 

 master came his usual round. She well remembered watching him as 

 he passed from one tree to another, and the feeling of envy which shot 

 through every petal as he lingered with Madame Rivers. He was 

 hurrying past, as though expecting to find no beauty there, when her 

 first full bloom, on which she had bestowed immense pains, and which 

 really was (to quote the complimentary language of Mr. Lane and 

 Mr. Paul,) " beautifully cupped," " large and double," suddenly caught 

 his eye, and she saw him actually start. Then he drew near admiringly, 

 gently moved the flower into the light most favourable to its best 

 display, and gazed, with the happy smile of a true florist, long and 

 fondly, 



" As though within the petals of a Rose 

 A sleeping Love he spied." 



Suddenly, and to her great surprise, he rushed away, and darted from 

 the Rose-garden ; but soon returned, to put an end to her suspense, 

 and bringing with him their respected guardian, Mr. Hirst. Never, 

 never should she forget her happiness, when, pointing to her, he had 

 said, in a joyous and exulting tone — " There, gardener, there is a 

 Rose!" Well, the very next morning, just as they were waking, 

 " with their rosy faces washed with dew," she was severed from the 

 parent tree, and found herself reposing on some fresh green moss, and 

 in the society of twenty-three other Roses, the most beautiful she had 

 ever seen. For a time they were kept in darkness, and so travelled 

 many miles, being at last brought to light in a spacious hall, and placed 

 among some hundreds of other Roses, collected and arranged like 

 themselves. By-and-by, three shrewd and thoughtful-looking men 

 approached them, and she was informed, in a whisper, by Mr. Paul 

 Ricaut, who had been in -the habit of attending similar exhibitions ever 



