FLOWERS AND GODDESSES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 199, 20 August 1904, Page 11

FLOWERS AND GODDESSES.

LAVISH EXPENDITURE IN AMERICA. When (sa.vs the "New York Times") tbe overage citizen buys li! American Beauty roses and pays from sis to twelve dollars for tbein. he titters a jrroan over his extravagance and Dee::. fuJ of melancholy, from tbe florists shop.

Rut by the man who attempts to keep pace with the wants of an admired footUghc favourite,or to the rich who are called upon periodically to provide handsome tributes for the weddings and funerals of their friends, it is considered nothing to pay TOO do!.-., 200 dolii.. or even :a>o di.:s. for a tsiagel wreath, or for some fanciful creation made up by the florist at au enormous profit especially for the occasion. liuring the present season, it is on record, a Broadway florist received lot) dels, for a bouquet throuwn ou the from a bos at the end cf the Urst act. Dozens of the wreaths for the Itox-burghc-Ccstet wedding cost hundreds of doilars each. The flowers iiL.ed by a Fifth Avenue host_s for a dinner party within the last ha.f year aggregated nearly oOvu dols. !n value. fCNEKAL i-LOWERS MURK EXPENSIVE THAN YVKDOING I'I.OVVKiJS. One uf tic must uu_b!e Uoral display-: seen in .New York for a long time was ji the funeral of William (.'. Wu::iu-y. Among the gotgoous tributes a wreath of whit..- roses and orchitis, a com paratlvely simple piece amid th; vast profusion of elaborate offerings. The florist who maclfe this weraih suya he get sou dels, for it. lhe florist will tell you funeral tlowc.-s. as a rule, cost muiv ttian tuosc bought tor weddings. The vreaths for lhe hapiy celehratiou arc usualiy simpler than those sent as tokens vl grid. COSTLY UOL'tiUKTS l'uli ACTItKSSh—. Preparing wreaths and bouquets for actresses ou opening nights is as regular as any phase of the florist's work. Once Lilian Russei:. if is said, received 10 offerings valued at mere than 10U dols. each. When Virginia Earl began to play In ■Sergeant Kitty."at iJaiy's. on of her Horal pieces was a gigantic horseshoe, on the front of which were woven lv white flowers the names of al her past successes — "The Geisha," "The Circus Girl." ae.d others. This gift cost more than 250 dols. It is not a rare thing for a popular player to receive flowers wortli between 2000 dols and 3000 dols. on the opening nigh/