208 A BOOK ABOUT ROSES. 



his breakfast; and . . . they took him out and 

 hanged J dm. 



The suspense in both cases was extremely dis- 

 agreeable ; 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 ?" 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 first, because too many captains spoil the 

 field-day, and too many huntsmen lose the fox) 

 assented readily to all I asked from them. I was 

 quite happy, quite certain of success, when I had 

 read these letters ; and I remember that in the 

 exuberance of my joy I attempted foolishly a 

 perilous experiment, which quickly ended in 



