A NEW BUSINESS FOR WOMEN. 



553 



roses. Even these lovely hued flowers could not make 

 the girls smile, for they were brought face to face with 

 the stern question, " What shall we do to earn our bread 

 and butter ?" Their father had died not very long 

 before, and after his affairs were settled, a few hundred 

 dollars and the house was all. "We must not sell our 

 home," said Rose. "Papa was so happy while plan- 

 ning this room, and only last birthday he gave us that 

 lovely palm," and she nodded at Zr7/(?«/;7 j5fr/'(7«/<(;. "O ! 

 my lovely Jac.,"said Grace bending over the flower, 

 " Help us to keep our home, and to succeed in our new 

 undertaking." 



The girls had helped papa for years as he worked 

 among his plants 

 i n his leisure 

 hours. They were 

 often invited t o 

 parties, always 

 noticed the flow- 

 ers, and trimmed 

 their home with 

 the most exquisite 

 taste, when it was 

 their turn to enter- 

 tain. When papa 

 died, Rose pro- 

 posed that they 

 boldly take up 

 floral adornment 

 for a living. A 

 modest sign was 

 put on the house 

 near the glass door 

 that led into the 

 conservatory, 

 "Flowers ar- 

 ranged for Wed- 

 dings, Funerals, 

 etc." A few more 

 palms and ferns 

 were bought as an 

 investment. The 

 room with its glass 

 side was made 

 bright with roses 

 and rare flowers, 

 and a brief a n- 

 nouncement in the 



papers advised the public of the new enterprise. They 

 made mention of the fact that they would make 

 "designs," but their perfect taste made the designs 

 quite different from the usual stiff monstrosities which 

 nothing but the natural loveliness of the outraged 

 flowers themselves render passable. Especially were 

 their pretty arrangements for personal wear admired ; 

 indeed, the making of hand bouquets and breast knots 

 became a very paying business. They did not grow the 

 plants, deeming that too much of an undertaking, at the 

 outset at least ; favorable arrangements were made, and 



The First Order. 



the flowers were bought at a discount from the large 

 greenhouses in the city. The girls always remembered 

 their first customer. The very morning after the sign 

 was put out, a carriage stopped and a young woman 

 clad in velvet and costly furs, came up to the glass door. 

 I^ose, with outward tranquility, but inward trembling, 

 bowed to Miss Dora Morgan. "Will you come and 

 arrange our table for the dinner party tomorrow ? And 

 there are plenty that will want you, besides, for I have 

 heard several say that you sisters have more taste than 

 professionals. You are plucky girls, and will succeed." 

 And succeed they did. After a few months, there was 

 hardly a wedding, funeral or dinner party in high society 



where these bright 

 girlsdid not attend 

 to the floral part. 

 And the girls were 

 happy in their 

 work, too, and 

 health y — there 

 was a wonderful 

 difference between 

 this varying, inter- 

 esting occupation, 

 calling out all the 

 best thought, re- 

 quiring deft hand 

 work, and drudg- 

 ing in a school or 

 store, with the 

 meagre reward 

 such labor brings. 

 One day when 

 they were filling a 

 fifty-dollar order 

 for a wedding, 

 Rosesaid to Grace, 

 ' ' I wish other girls 

 would try raising 

 plants, or small 

 fruits, or making 

 floral designs. 

 How much more 

 healthy and happy 

 they would be, if 

 obliged to earn 

 money, than i n 

 sewing or teach- 

 ing ! In few other branches of work that women can do 

 has Saste so much of a real money value." 



' ' And yet with such boundless opportunities for taste 

 and skill " said Grace, "so few women avail themselves 

 of the chance for a pleasant and profitable livelihood. 

 The floral magazines cannot do better work than to arouse 

 in girls an interest in raising plants and flowers. In no 

 other occupation can they take a more lively interest 

 or more easily make a commercial and really artistic 

 success." And so thinks 



Sister Gracious. 



