April 25, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
549 
Hydrangea japonica rosea, a magnificent variety, 
Pyrus floribunda atrosanguinea, and Cerasus pseudo - 
cerasus were wonderfully bright and showy. A 
Silver Gilt Flora Medal was deservedly awarded 
this meritorious display. 
A group of flowering plants staged with Ferns and 
Palms was set up by Messrs. John Peed & Sons, 
Roupell Park Nurseries, Norwood Road, S.E. It 
included Clivias, Azaleas, of both the indica and 
mollis sections, and Dicentra spectabilis in excellent 
condition (Silver Banksian Medal). 
Hardy flowers were splendidly shown by Messrs 
W. Paul& Son, The Old Nurseries, Cheshunt. Tall, 
cleanly-grown samples of standard Cytisus, which 
were dotted here and there, and which literally 
blazed with colour were a chief feature of this exhibit. 
Cut sprays of Ribes sanguineum, R. album, R. 
hybridum, R. flore pleno, R. carneum grandiflorum, 
Cydonia Maulei, and other hardy shrubs, as well as a 
multitude of pots and pans filled with such beautiful 
subjects as Aubretia tauricola, Gentiana acaulis, 
Pulmonaria arvensis, Saxifraga lindissiana, 
Andromeda tetragona, A. polifolia, and Sedum 
thymefolium were all in first-class order, and 
constituted a display that for wealth of variety left 
little to be desired (Silver Flora Medal). 
Avery comprehensive and notworthy collection of 
double Ghent Azaleas was contributed by Messrs. 
Wm. Cutbush & Son, Highgate, N. The plants 
throughout were well grown and flowered, and their 
blooms exhibited a considerable range of colour, from 
rich yellow to pink and white (Silver Banksian 
Medal). 
Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, 
N., made a notable effort in the way of hardy flowers, 
and a large group sent by him, that found a place 
near the doorway, contained a great variety of hardy 
floral gems. A few of these that are deserving of 
special mention are Adonis pyrenaica, Ranunculus 
amplexicaulis. ' Iris pumila coerulea, Primula 
Sieboldii, lilacina marginata, Spiraea multiflora 
compacta, and Orobus vernus purpureus (Silver 
Flora Medal). 
Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, The Lowfield Nurseries, 
Crawley, Sussex, sent a neat little group of sprays 
of hardy ornamental trees and shrubs, together with 
some samples of their strain of Polyanthuses, and a 
few exceedingly pretty varieties of bedding Violas 
(Silver Banksian Medal). 
Messrs. Barr & Son’s Daffodils were well to the 
fore. An exceedingly large and comprehensive 
collection was shown in which most of the leading 
forms of this popular hardy flower were to be 
be observed. In a small batch of miscellaneous 
hardy plants that also came from this firm, Iris 
pumila, Count Andrassy, Sanguinaria multipetala, 
Androsace coronpifolia, and Phlox divaricata were 
observed to be in grand condition. A few glasses 
filled with Tulips completed Messrs. Barr’s 
meritorious exhibit, which well deserved the Bronze 
Banksian Medal it received at the hands of the com¬ 
mittee. 
Gloxinias in quantity, and in excellent order, were 
contributed by Messrs. John Laing & Sons, Forest 
Hill, S.E., a Silver Flora Medal being noted for the 
same. 
A magnificent display of cut Roses was made by 
Mr. George Mount, The Rose Nurseries, Canter¬ 
bury. The blooms were large and fine, and the 
colours left little, if anything, to be desired, so well 
developed were they. La France, Ulrich Brunner, 
Eugene Furst, General Jacqueminot, Catherine 
Mermet, Mrs. John Laing, and Baroness Rothschid 
came out strongest upon the exhibition tables 
(Silver-gilt Flora Medal). 
Messrs. Dobbie & Co., Rothesay, had samples of 
their new Wallflower, Eastern Queen, which 
appeared to be very floriferous, and of vigorous 
growth. 
Mr. J. Walker, Thame, Oxon, showed very fine 
samples of cut Roses. Such varieties as Niphetos 
and Marechal Niel were shown in quantity, and the 
individual blooms were of large size and excellent 
shape (Silver Flora Medal). 
The Roses which came from Mr. Frank Cant's 
establishment at Braiswick, Colchester, reached a 
very high standard of merit, such varieties as Dupuy 
Jamain, Ulrich Brunner, Merveille de Lyon, Com- 
tesse de Ludre, Fisher Holmes, and Duke of Teck 
showing up very strongly (Silver Flora Medal). 
A neat little group of hardy plants, exhibited in 
situ upon a mass of temporarily-erected rock work 
won for the Guildford Hardy Plant Co. a Silver Flora 
Medal. The dwarfer Saxifrages, Aubretias, Anemone 
bracteata, Polygala chamaebucus, and Epimedium 
niveum were all exceedingly pretty here. 
Hippeastrums in variety were shown by Messrs. 
B. S. Williams & Son, Upper Holloway, N., also a 
few examples of Paeonies in pots (Bronze Banksian 
Medal). 
A first prize was awarded to the Rev. G. H. 
Engleheart, Appleshaw, Andover, for a small collec¬ 
tion of late-flowering seedling Narcissi. Two 
similar awards fell to the lot of A. Kingsmill, 
Esq., The Holt, Harrow Weald, for eighteen, and 
for eight varieties of Narcissi. 
A small group of hardy flowers was sent by 
Mr. Divers, gardener to the Duke of Rutland, 
Belvoir Castle, Grantham (Bronze Banksian Medal). 
A Silver Banksian Medal for a collection of hardy 
flowering shrubs fell to the lot of Mr. F. W. 
Moore, Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. 
A superb lot of plants of Primula Sieboldii, shown 
by Mr. Charles Turner, Slough, also obtained a 
Silver Flora Medal. Many shades of colour were 
illustrated, and the flowers themselves were large 
and fine. 
The labours of the Fruit and Vegetable Committees 
were not nearly so extensive as those of the Floral 
Committee. 
Silver Banksian Medals were awarded to Mr. G. 
Empson, gardener to Mrs. Wingfield, Ampthill, 
Bucks; and to Mr. G. Wythes, gardener to Earl 
Percy, Syon House, Brentford ; both of whom had 
very good collections of vegetables. Mr. Empson 
also showed a grand dish of ripe Strawberries for 
which he received a Cultural Commendation. 
Mr. Chas Roberts, gardener to A. W. Wright, 
Esq., Halstree Gardens, Whittington, Oswestry, 
showed a number of dishes of Apples, the fruit beiDg 
in a fair state of preservation. A Silver Banksian 
Medal was awarded to Messrs. G. V. De Luca, 
Hill & Co., 6 and 7, Long Lane, Aldersgate Street, 
E.C , for preserved fruits shown by them, illustrating 
the use of their patent closed bottles, which, from the 
samples of contents submitted, would appear to be a 
most efficacious and valuable invention, and one well 
worthy the attention of those who preserve fruits in 
greater or less quantities. 
EILtEY DEAJlE 
By Evelyn C. Griffiths. 
(All fights reserved.) 
CHAPTER XVII. 
Hortense's Confession. 
In a neat little bedroom at the North Lodge of the 
Manor, lay Hortense, Lady Bewdley's maid, dying. 
She had been terribly burned, and, in trying to 
escape from the fire, had jumped from her window 
thereby sustaining severe internal injuries. 
“ Is he coming ? ” she asked irritably of the good- 
natured, homely-looking lodge-keeper’s wife, Mrs. 
Warden, who sat near her. 
“Yes, my dear. His lordship promised to come, 
so he is sure to be here soon.” 
“Soon!” cried the sick woman, her dark eyes 
roving wildly and restlessly round the room. " Soon ! 
What do you call soon ? Have I not waited the 
whole morning; is that soon to a dying woman ? I 
know I am dying; that is why I want to see him. 
There is something he must be told, and it will be 
too late if he does not come at once.” 
“ I will send round to him again, dear. Don’t 
you fret yourself, now.” 
Lord Bewdley arrived as she was speaking, and 
was at once shown up into the little room where 
Hortense lay. 
•• I am sorry to see you thus, my poor woman,” he 
said kindly, going across to the bed. 
“ Do not speak kindly to me ! ” cried the unhappy 
woman. "You will hate me when you hear what I 
have to tell, and be sorry you wasted a kind word 
upon such a miserable wretch.” 
“No one ever repents having shown kindly feeling,” 
Lord Bewdley replied gently. 
Dr. Curum had told him that Hortense could not 
live many days, or perhaps hours ; so although he 
guessed what part she had played, and what her 
confession would be, he could not find it in his heart 
to speak harshly to her. 
The wild-looking black eyes of the woman looked 
eagerly into his face as she asked, “ Was Miss Eiley 
saved ? ’' 
Yes.” 
A look of relief came into the sick woman's face. 
“ I want to see her before I die, to obtain her 
forgiveness. Do you think she would come, my 
lord ? ” 
His answer came very low. 
“ Miss Deane cannot come to see you, Hortense; 
she is very ill (after a pause)—the doctor tells me 
sick unto death. She does not know anyone." 
The Frenchwoman’s fingers played nervously with 
the coverlet for a few minutes ; then asking Mrs. 
Warden to leave the room, she told Lord Bewdley 
the following tale : — “ Before Miss Deane came to the 
Manor I was more a companion than a maid to Lady 
Bewdley ; but after she came I was only the maid, 
and her ladyship made Miss Deane the companion. 
This made me jealous and I took a hatred to Miss 
Eiley ; consequently I was delighted when Lady 
Bewdley set me to watch her, which I did constantly, 
and more than thoroughly, all the time she was at the 
Manor. I saw plainly that Lady Bewdley was 
afraid your lordship would fall in love with her, so I 
worked upon this and exaggerated any little thing I 
saw and invented what I did not see. It was on 
account of what I said that Miss Deane was dismissed 
so suddenly. Lady Bewdley sent me to London by 
the same train — giving out to the servants that I had 
gone for a holiday—to follow her, find out where she 
went and what she did ; all of which I did only too 
faithfully, sending her ladyship the address of her 
pupils and the schools she attended. I overheard 
Miss Eiley just before she left the Manor promise to 
write to Susan ; so I told her ladyship, who after¬ 
wards took the letters from the post-bag and 
destroyed them ; also the portrait of Susan's sweet¬ 
heart.” 
Hortense paused, turning faint from the exertion 
of talking. Lord Bewdley gave her some milk and 
brandy which was standing ready mixed upon a table. 
The faintness passing, she continued more slowly— 
“ When Miss Eiley came the second time, after 
your lordship had sprained your ankle, I could not 
understand Lady Bewdley’s conduct. I knew she 
hated Miss Deane and would have done anything 
rather than you should have married her ; and yet, 
apparently, she was most affectionate to her and 
when Miss Deane became ill, waited upon her hand 
and foot, as your lordship knows. This made 
me suspicious and I watched Lady Bewdley. 
" She had annoyed me by dismissing me from her 
room every evening instead of allowing me to assist 
her in preparing for the night, as I had been 
accustomed to do. After I had brought her the cup 
of broth for Miss Eiley in the evenings she always 
told me I could retire. Feeling that she must have 
some reason for doing this, one night I only feigned 
leaving the room, opening and shutting the door—her 
ladyship’s back being turned towards me—then 
hiding behind a curtain. She turned round, looked 
at the closed door, walked across to the window, 
drew the curtain, then going to a cabinet she unlocked 
a drawer and drew forth a small bottle, out of which 
she poured some of the contents into Miss Eiley’s 
broth; replacing the bottle she locked the drawer, 
but forgot to remove the key ! Taking up the cup of 
broth she then left the room. I quickly went to the 
cabinet, poured the contents of the little bottle into 
a glass, put into its place the same amount of water, 
locked it up again and retired to my room. I gave 
the fluid to a cat, my lord ; the cat died ! 
" I thought upon several occasions that her ladyship 
suspected I knew—perhaps she missed the glass from 
her room that evening—but when the fire broke out 
last night and I found myself locked in my room; 
then I was convinced she knew ! ” 
A sort of convulsion passed over the woman as she 
ceased speaking. Lord Bewdley thinking the end 
had come was about to call Mrs. Warden, when 
Hortense spoke again in a low weak voice— 
" My lord, do you think Miss Eiley will forgive 
me ? ” 
It was pitiable to see the doubtful, almost despair¬ 
ing look on the dying woman’s face as she put the 
question. 
“ I will say nothing of your sin, Hortense,” said 
Lord Bewdley ; “ of the great sin you committed in 
allowing an innocent and helpless girl to be cruelly 
poisoned without doing anything to prevent it. You 
are punished; punished terribly, and I feel sure if 
Miss Deane knew all and could speak, she would 
forgive you freely and fully.” 
“ And you, my lord,? Oh, say you forgive me—do 
not let me die unforgiven ! ” jried the wretched 
woman. 
There was a pause, which seemed an eternity to 
the dying woman ; then Lord Bewdley said gently, 
“ Hortense, I forgive you." 
A look of great relief came over her face ; her eyes 
closed and she seemed to sleep. 
Lord Bewdley softly left the room and sent Mrs. 
Warden up, who found Hortense asleep, never more 
to awaken in this world. 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
Lady Bewdley.—The Return. 
At eight o’clock the same evening Lord Bewdley 
left the Vicarage and started for the Inn. Mr. and 
Mrs. Andrews had invited him to be their guest ; 
and decided to postpone their departure on account 
of Eilqy, who had been carried to the Vicarage the 
night before. 
Having arrived at the Inn he asked to see Ipdy 
Bewdley. 
