"What is it?" said Mr. Peter Henderson to the writer, a short time ago, as he tossed down a faded, yet still beautiful, rosy pink flower.

"A Brunsvigia, I guess," was the answer; but noticing a dangerous glimmer in the veteran's eye, we hastened to make a closer examination. Throwing back the petals, the anthers and stigma of a lily were revealed.

"A Lilium; by Jove! Longiflorum, too, at that. Where on earth did you get it?"

"Yes, sir, a Lilium: Lilium Harrisii, raised in Bermuda. What do you think such a lily would be worth ?"

"Well, of course it never would be in great demand for forcing, and you know that is what uses up the immense number of Harrisii that are sold. It would be valuable chiefly in private collections and ought to bring at least ten dollars each - as large a price as Auratum did when first introduced".

"I can sell them less than that. At what do you sell Harrisii now?"

"Very low - almost as low as Longiflorum".

"Well, I will sell you these at the same price".

The latter answer was uttered with altogether too much satisfaction, and we sadly turned to where the flower had been severed from the stem, remarking, as we began to be enlightened, "Ah! you have been doctoring this with chemicals".

"No sir," replied Mr. Henderson, "we have not been doctoring this with chemicals, but it has been stuck in a bottle of red ink for the last three hours".

Moral : Don't take every child wearing a red fez, to be a little Turk, for man is full of guile even as the lily was full of red ink, though it may not be as apparent. New York.