CONCERNING ROSE-SHOWS. 20/ 



mankind, but I was disappointed, even as that dog of 

 Thompson's, whose sad story is told in these parts as a 

 warning to the over-sanguine. He heard one morning the 

 sound of famihar footsteps approaching at the hour of food. 

 He said to himself, " What jolly dogs are we ! " he rushed 

 towards the door, jumping and frisking, for he tJiongJit they 

 were bringing him his breakfast ; and . . . they took him 

 otit and hanged him. 



The suspense in both cases was extremely disagreeable, 

 but I had this advantage, that mine was too brief to be 

 fatal. I had power to cut the knot, and I exercised it by 

 writing to our chief Rosarians the simple question, " Will 

 you help me in establishing a National Rose-Show V Then 

 were all my doubts and disappointments dispelled, and the 

 winter of my discontent made glorious summer ; for the 

 answers which I received, as soon as mails could bring them, 

 might be summed up in one word, ** Heartily." The three 

 men, the triumviri, whose sympathy and aid I most desired 

 — Mr Rivers, king of Rosists, Mr Charles Turner, prince of 

 florists, and Mr William Paul, who was not only a successful 

 writer upon the Rose, but at that time presided, practically, 

 over the glorious Rose-fields of Cheshunt — promised to 

 work with me ; and the rest to whom I wrote (not many at 



