CHAPTER XII 



CONCERNING ROSE-SHOWS 



When that delightful young officer of Her Majesty's 

 Guards, having paid a guinea, some years ago in 

 London, to the great spiritualist, medium, or what- 

 ever the arch-humbug called himself, of the season, 

 inquired, with a solemn countenance, whether he 

 could receive communications from his mother, and, 

 being assured that this could be arranged, com- 

 menced a long conversation with his parent, who 

 preferred, after the manner of spirits, to express her 

 sentiments by tapping — and when, finally, he 

 announced his inability to prolong the interesting dis- 

 course because ^ the lady in question was waiting for 

 him at that moment (in robust health and in Belgrave 

 Square), that they might refresh themselves with 

 luncheon,' — he completely demolished the baseless 

 fabric of my little dream, how charming it would be 

 to have an hour's table-talk with some of our old 

 Rosarians. 



I am with them, nevertheless, and without humbug, 



185 



