Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-08-28
THE POISONED FLOWER.

You are a dead man, sald the doc
tor, looking fixedly at Anatole.
Anatole was astounded.
He had come to spend the evening
with his old friend, DIR. Bardals, the
Sayant, whose studies of pol
sonous plants had made him famous.
1t was not his fame, however, which
attracted Anatole to the doctor, but
his nobility of heart and almost pater-
nal kindness. And now suddenly,
without any preparations, the young
man heard this terrific prognosticatlon
from the lips of SO great an authority
Unhappy boy continued the doctor,
what have you done?'
Nothing that 1 know of, stammered
Anatole.
Think. Tell me what you have
drunk, what you have eaten, what you
have inhaledp'
This last word was like ray of light
to Anatole. That very morning he
had received letter from friend who
was travelling In India. In this letter
he found a flower which the tourist
had plucked on the banks of the
Ganges, an odd-looking little red
flower, whose odor, he remembered,
seemed to him to be strangely pungent.
Anatole looked i'll his pocketbooK and
took therefrom the letter and the
flower, which he showed to the saYant.
There is not a doubtr exclaimed the
doctor. 1t is the Pyramenensls Indical
the fatal flower of blOOdl'
You really think sop
iAlasi L am certain"
But it is not possible that it should
prove fatal to me. L am only % years
old, am strong and in the best OF
health.
AT what hour did you open this fatal
letter.
AT O'Clock this morning.
We'll, tomorrow morning at the
same hour, at the same minute, In full
health, as you say, you will feel pecu-
liar pam in your heart, and that Will
end all
And you know of no remedy, nc
means o.
.None,' said the doctor.
Then, clasping his head in his hands,
the savant fell into chair, overcome
with grief.
The emotion of his old friend con-
vinced Anatole that he was indeed
doomed. He departed at once; he was
almost insane.
a COlu sweat Oll HIS 1OlthCeAN, A4ls
ideas confused, walking mechanically,
Anatole went forth into the night, un'
L conscious of what was Passing about
him. For long time he walked thus
then. coming to a bench, he sat down
This rest did him good. Up to thai
| moment he had been like a man whC
| has suddenly received a severe blow OF
the head. At last, however, his minC
| to ala nd ha. ha0an
his scattered Ideas.
NV situation he thought. is lik,
that OF a man condemned to death
Such a person, however, can still hop'
for mercy. But how long have 1 Il
live?'
| He looked at his watch
Three O'Clock in the morning 1t
time TO go to bed. What l go 10 bed
give 10 sleep the last six hours of m
life? No. L have certainly somethin.
better than that to do. But what
Why, have my will to make
Not far away was a restaurant
which was open all night. Thithe
Anatole went
Walter, bring me bottle of chan
pagne ,and bottle of Ink he SAID, a
he seated himself at the table.
He drank a glass of champagne and
looking at the paper lying on the tabl
before him, said to himself:
TO whom shall | leave my income
30.OJO francs? l have neither fathe
nor mother. Among the people
whom 1 am interested there Is only OIL
: to whom 1 care TO leave my money
Nicette.'
Nicette was Anatole's second cousin
a charming girl of Is years, haviu
golden hair and large dark eyes. Lii
him she was an orphan, and this sim
lar bereavement had long since esta
Iished a bond of sympathy betwee
them
His viii was quickly drawn up. Z
left everything to Nicette.
That done, he drank a second gla
of champagne.
Poor Nicettel' he thought, she W;
very sad the last time L saw her. I'll
|, guardian. who knows nothing DeyoI
: the wind instruments which he teach
pupils or the Conservatory to play, d.
: not do right in promising her hand
a brute, "A bully, whom she detest
She detests him all the more becau
she loves someone else, if have be-
able TO understand her reticence al
her embarrassment. Who Is this hap
, mortal? | know not, but he is certain
worthy of her since she has chosen hiI
Good. sweet, beautiful, loving, Meet
deserves the best of husbands. Ahl