The next morning while I [Ali Kuli Khan] was in our room
with my family [in Akka, during their pilgrimage in 1906], a gentle rapping
attracted me to the door. There I found 'Abdu'l-Bahá standing with a large
white handkerchief full of flowers. He said, "Give these flowers to
Florence Khanum [American wife of Ali Kuli Khan] and bring me back the
handkerchief." This I obeyed instantly. To our joy and delight, we found
the flowers to be no other than a bridal bouquet of white roses. In them I
found another small bouquet. It was easy to see its significance! All can
imagine our joy upon receiving that blessing! My wife burst into tears of joy;
for in this lovely act of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's she found the fulfilment of a prayer
she had offered for a long time. The prayer was that she might receive a rose
from the hand of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
- Ali Kuli Khan (Notes of pilgrimage during 1906;
published in ‘1906 Pilgrim Notes of Ali Kuli Khan’)
