70 THE FLORAL TELEGRAPH. 
her cheeks with invigorating fragrance 
of all wholesome flowers; it was I who 
turned aside every noxious zephyr. I 
loved her better, yea better, than ever 
mortal could. 
“ In these bowers, in this now deso¬ 
late garden, I watched her through 
infancy into the early and the all¬ 
beautiful dawn of womanhood. I was 
ever with her — and with her every 
thing prospered. My only grief was, 
that I could not reveal myself to her. 
But even to this I had my antidote, 
in feeling how disinterested and un- 
returnable was the devotion of my 
love. I joyed to heap upon her bene¬ 
fits beyond the power of return. 
