Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-06-07
THE FATAL FLOWER.

tor. looking iXcdly at Anatole.
- Anatole was astounded.
He had come TO spend the evening
with his Old friend, DR.. Bardais, the
illustrious savant, whose studies of
poisonous plants had made him famous.
1t was not his fame, however, which at
tracted Anatole to the doctor, but his
nobility OF heart AM almost paternal
kindness. And now suddenly, without
any preparation, the young man heard
this terrific representation from the
lips of so great AN authority.
Unhappy boy" continued the doc
tor, ''what have you done?"
Nothing that know Of, STAN mer-
ed Anatole.
Think Tell me what you have
drunk, what you have eaten, what you
have inhaled"
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 flower which the
tourist had plucIed 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 In his pocketbook and
took therefrom the letter and the flow
Sr which he showed to the savant
Z .D1here is not doubt" exclaimed
the doctor. at is the Pyramenen-
sis Indica the fatal flower of bloodn'
you really think so?'
"Alas, ! am certain"
"But il is not possible that it should
prove fatal t. me- | am only twenty
five years old, am strong and in the
best of health.
AT what hour did you open this
fatal letter."
..At o'clock this morning"
''Well, tomorrow morning, at the
same hour, at the same minute. in full
health, as you say, you will feel
peculiar pain in your heart, and that
will end all. "
'.And you know of no remedy, no
means Of"
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-
WINGED Anatole that he was indeed
doomed. He departed at once; he was
almost ms me.
A cold sweat on his forehead, his
ideas confused, walking mechanically,
Anatole went forth into the night. un-
conscious of what was passing about
him. For long time he liked thus,
then. coming to a bench, he sat down
This rest did him good. Up TO that
moment he had been like a man who
has suddenly received a severe blow on
the head. At last, however, his mind
seemed to clear, and he began to gath
YER his scattered ideas.
my situation" he thought, "is like
that of n man con lemned TO death.
Such a person. however, can still hope
for mercy. But how long have l to
live?"
He looked at his watch.
three O'clock in the morning. 1t
is time to go to bed. What! | go TO
bedP give to sleep the last six hours of
my life? No i have certainly some
thing better than that TO do. But what?
Why, | have my will TO make.
Not far away was n restaurant which
was open all night Thither Anatole
went.
Waiter, bring me bottle OF cham
payne anu DoIJle OF INK, ne SAID as
he seated himself at table.
He drank glass of champagne and,
looking at the paper lying on the table
before him. said to himself:
ITO whom shall leave my income
OF 80, 200 francs? | have neither faith
er nor mother Among the people in
whom / am interested there is only
one to whom | care to leave my money
-Nicette."
Nicette was Anatole's second cousin,
a charming girl OF eighteen years,
having golden hair and large dark
eyes. Like him she was an orphan.
and this similar bereavement had long
sioce established bond OF sympathy
between them.
Ills will WIS quickly drawn up. He
ieIk>everything to Nicette.
That done. he drank a second glass
OF champagne.
Poor Nicettew he thought, "she was
very sad the last time | saw her.
Her guardian. who knows nothing be-
yond the wind instrument which he
} teaches pupils OF the conservatory to
to play. did not do right in promising
her hand 10 brute, bully, whom she
detests. She detests him all the more