Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1873-09-24
Early Fruit.

threads ones happiness depends !
1t was all arranged was to marry
Mile. Louise early in June, and the
Marquise, her mother, was commenc-
ing to treat me with something less
than her customary reserve. She was
terrible woman, that Marquise. "Be
treacherous," some one had told me.
And L was treacherous. At particularly
trying moments 1 looked into the eyes
of my betrothed, but one can form no
idea of the circumlOcution [ had to en-
ploy to express to the Marquise the
simplest things in life. In speaking to
me of the trousseau the word chemise
made her blush, and one day L caused
her to leave the room [ don't know
Why, simply because 1 happened to
mention pair of suspenders.
One evening Mile. Louise was even
more charming than was her wont. The
air was heavy with perfume. Coffee
had been served in the conservatory,
we sat beneath large magnolia trees,
which were fairly bowed down with fra
grant blossoms. Seated quite close to
her, 1 sketched thousand projects for
our future, and while she listened with
her great blue eyes fixed upon me, l
gazed upon her graceful head her wav-
ing blonde tress caught up from the
neck her light robe rising in snowy
fraise at the throat, and descending to
point upon the bosom ; and 1 thought
that in six weeks at the longest she
would be mine.
1t is so difficult to speak to young
girls. Every moment there came to my
mind stories which found too gay, and
which would certainly have frightened
so ethereal and poetic nature.
So, having plunged into senseless
anecdote which did not know exactly
how to get out of, said suddenly, in
order to change the conversation :
''By the way, Mademoiselle, do you
like strawberries ?"
81 adore them" she answered, with
a dainty little movement of the lips !;
"but suppose that it will be necessary
to wait little while"
The fact is that it was only the be-
ginning of April, but I thought that
one could get anything in Paris, and
that very evening sent my friend Ray
mond the followind despatch
"Send me large box of strawberries
from Paris at any price. HECTOR"
Three hours afterwards 1 received
the reply:
Little pots make up box. Will
send as soon as possible. RAYMOND.
My friend Raymond was jewel. Be-
sides perfect taste and great amiability,
he was so fortunate as to possess Paris,
and, whenever l was away, 1 charged
him with all my commissions, trusting
as much to him to order a coat as to
/ forward me bouquet.
The next day, early in the morning, l
received great box, well. bound, and
| labelled with my address. 1t was enor-
nous, and it was frightful to think of
the number of little pots Raymond must
have purchased to be able to send me a
package of such respectable weight in
so short time. Under the circum-
stances. my present became truly
royal gift, and the same day sent it to
my fancee, together with my daily bou-
quet of white lilacs.
All that day 1 remained away from
/ Nine. de Boisenfort's, SO that the effect
of my gift might be greater. The time
seemed very long. 1 could see Mile.
Louise opening my box the eagerness
which her feminine curiosity would be
sure to give rise to. Then L imagined
her astonishment at the sight of the con-
tents. She would take berry at ran
don (the largest), hold it delicately be-
tween her slender fingers little fin
| ger in the air-I could see it all as
though were there-and nibble it with
her white teeth, making all sorts of
grimaces as she ate. Decidedly it was
a happy thought to send to Paris.
When evening came presented my
self at the usual hour, studiously af
/ fecting the Indifferent air of gentle
man who does not think he has done
anything at all remarkable.
1 opened the gate, and was little
surprised not to find Mile. Louise in the
garden. Usually she came to meet me,
and, after cordial grasp of the hands,
we would enter the drawing-room to-
"Bah p I said to myself, 4 shall find
her in the greenhouse" And Iascended
the steps.
She was there, to be sure. Her face
was flushed and her eyes swollen, as
though she had been crying. AS soon
as she perceived me she came forward,
and said
"Oh sir; it was very, very horrid
of your
Then, throwing me a glance full OF
reproach she left the place.
commenced to feel a little uneasy
upon entering the drawing-room. The
| cfa hafnra tho
tel-piece. erect and naughty, something
like the statue of the commander.
"You received my package ?" I asked
with my most amiable air.
"Yes, sir; yes" ground out the Mar.
quise. q awaited the key to this puz-
zle.) ''And," continued she, 81 con-
slider it was little too soon-much too
soon.
ood.:heavens, madame, these things
have no value unless they are sent
before the time for them-as early fruit
you know"
GAS early fruit, sir-as early fruit
You continue your absurd mystification.
Leave the house. Neither nor my
daughter will ever see you again. Leave
the house y
I was stunned. I went away COM
pletely disconnected, asking myself if
it was not some frightful dream. Arriv
ing at the hotel, my servant handed me
letter from Raymond together with
little box:
"MY DEAR FRIEND I send you the
strawberries you wish. Forgive me for
not having sent them sooner, and more
of fthem, but they are yet very rare. ***.
Without finishing the letter, I tore
open the little box it contained indeed
some magnificent strawberries. What
was in the box of the previous evening,
then?
A frightful suspicion crossed my
mind. All at once, 1 uttered cry.
There was postscript:
81 hope you received last evening
the box of flannel waistcoats. LA We
! Pdrisienne.
Scene in an Opium Shop.
One who has never visited an opium
shop can have no conception of the fatal
fascination that holds its victims fast