A rich man sat beside the fire, Within his sculptured halls; Brave heart, clear head, and busy hand Had reared those stately walls. He to his gardener spake, and said In tone of quiet glee-- "I want a hundred fine bouquets-- Canst make them, John, for me? John's eyes became exceeding round, This question when he heard; He gazed upon his master, And he answered not a word. "Well, John," the rich man laughing said, "If these too many be, What sayest to half the number, man? Canst fifty make for me?" Now John prized every flower, as 'twere A daughter or a son; And thought, like Regan--"What the need Of fifty, or of one?" But, keeping back the thought, he said, "I think, sir, that I might; But it would leave my lady's flowers In very ragged plight." "Well, John, thy vegetable pets Must needs respected be; We'll halve the number once again-- Make twenty-five for me. And hark ye, John, when they are made Come up and let me know; And I'll give thee a list of those To whom the flowers must go," The twenty-five bouquets were made, And round the village sent; And to whom thinkest thou, my friend, These floral jewels went? Not to the beautiful and proud-- Not to the rich and gay-- Who, Dives-like, at Luxury's feast Are seated every day. An aged Pastor, on his desk Saw those fair preachers stand; A Widow wept upon the gift, And blessed the giver's hand. Where Poverty bent o'er her task, They cheered the lonely room; And round the bed where sickness lay, They breathed Health's fresh perfume Oh! kindly heart and open hand-- Those flowers in dust are trod, But they bloom to weave a wreath for thee, In the Paradise of God. Sweet is the Minstrel's task, whose song Of deeds like these may tell; And long may he have power to give, Who wields that Dower so well! CHAPTER XXIV. THE JEROME CLOCK COMPANY. FOUNDING EAST BRIDGEPORT--GROWTH OF THE CITY--THE JEROME CLOCK BUBBLE--A RUINED MAN--PAYING HONEST DEBTS--DOWN IN THE DEPTHS. In the year 1851 Mr. Barnum had purchased from William H. Noble, of Bridgeport, Conn., the undivided half of his late father's homestead--fifty acres of land on the east side of the river, opposite the city of Bridgeport. Together they bought the one hundred and seventy-four acres adjoining, and laid out the entire property in regular streets, and lined them with trees. A beautiful grove of eight acres was reserved for a park. This they intended for a nucleus of a new city, to be known as East Bridgeport.