CONCERNING ROSE-SHOWS. 21 3 



concert the night before. Early as it was, he had his stafif 

 with him — carpenters and others ; and when I arrived with 

 my Roses, after a journey of 120 miles, at 5.30 A.M., the 

 long tables were almost ready for the baize. Then came 

 the covered vans which had travelled through the summer 

 night from the grand gardens of Hertfordshire, and the 

 "four-wheelers," with green boxes piled upon their roofs, 

 from all the railway stations. And then the usual con- 

 fusion which attends the operation of " staging " — ex- 

 hibitors preferring their "own selection" to the places duly 

 assigned to them, running against each other, or pressing 

 round Mr Edwards with their boxes, as though they had 

 something to sell — vociferating like the porters at Boulogne, 

 who, having seized your portmanteau, insist on taking your 

 body to their hotel. He, however, was quite master of the 

 situation, and upon his directions, clearly and firmly given, 

 there followed order and peace. 



And there followed a scene, beautiful exceedingly. I 

 feel no shame in confessing that when the Hall was cleared, 

 and I looked from the gallery upon the three long tables, 

 and the platform beneath the great organ, glowing with the 

 choicest Roses of the world, the cisterns of my heart o'er- 

 flowed — 



