The morning call., 1891-01-11

other with stupor 1t hurt them to see her
so greatly changed, aud the gardener held
the parcel in his hand, scarcely daring 10
return it now
We are not angry" said the woman after
a While, since you were too sick to come
Still you hurt US very much when YOU sent
us TINS dress. What we did we did from
the bottom of our hearts and had no need of
present to feel happy that we had received
you IN our house. So my husband thought
best for us to bring the dress back"
No, il is you that wanted to Go sop in
terrupted the husband.
q" Y on are both big childrenH' cried Nous
STA. with the bright laugh Of former days.
gu would hurt me if YOU refused to take
it. l want you turning to the gardeners
WIFE" to wear 1t In memory of me-when l
shall be no more on earth"
And when husband and wife protested
that at her age her strength would soon come
back
Me- answered Moussia, gently. 81
think the candle is cut IN four pieces and is
burning at every end. ] Will not live much
longer. You know, children, that l have
too much brain"
She tried to laugh, but a sort of mist
passed over the blue eyes and the garden
ers, as they listened to the whistling voice
broken by fits of coughing, felt the tears
rush to theirs.
MOussia shook her head and changed the
conversation.
And the apple tree" she asked, '1s it
still as beautiful"
"Oh, yes, indeed" they answered "the
flowers have fallen, but the fruit is begin
nlng to show, and all points to a good har-
vest of apples. You must come and eat
some in September. The healthy air of the
SevreS NIL viii make you yourself again,
madam0iSelle."
She shook her head once more and fell
back on the cuShiOus-eXhausted and tired
DnrauSR Sna had snnEan Whan tha
denerS were gone she closed her eyes and
dreamed of the apple tree that reared itself
proudly over there in the path carpeted with
grass and flowers. 1t was healthy, strong.
rich a1flux If sap flowed upward from its
knotty roots to the end of its branches. 1t
Knocked the rain and the wind, the cold
nights and the burning midday sun, while
she, shut up in sick room. surrounded by
the most learned physicians of Paris, wasted
away and felt that she could not Tive through
the autumn months. Oh, nIisery She was
young, wealthy, adored. marvelously gifted,
and she had so many things TO say, so many
pictures in her mindi
".
Toward the end of October, when on the
hillside of SeYreS, in the Enclosure covered
by the first frost, the sturdy apple tree shell
tered the singing robins under its last
leaves, the gardeners received black Dor
dered letter that told them NJ ousSia was dead.
And the honest people in the tiny house sur
rounded by beehiYes wept silently at the
memory of the beautiful girl, who for one
whole month had been the animation and
gayety of their pleasant home.
Alas! In the noisy whirlwind of large
cities, soul that goes hence makes no more
noise than dead leaf when it falls. After
the sad surprise of the FIRST days the Par
islan world that had admired, sung aud wei
coined Moussia went back to its business
and pleasures. Three women CARRIED in
mourning remaining weeping alone in the
mansion OF the Avenue de Niliiers. One
April afternoon, when. wrapped in unceas-
ing grief. they sat in silence in the drawing
room filled with relics of the dead girl,
ring was heard at the door and the servant
ushered in the gardeners from Sevres.
They were dressed up TO make the call !;
the husband, clothed in the Sunday suit,
was awkwardly twisting his hat in his
black-Gloved hands; his wife had her we'd
ding shawl on, aud under its folds she tried
to conceal rathGr voluminous parcel.
Please excuse Us, mesdames if we dis
turb you," began the gardener We conld
not let the season pass without telling you
how often we speak OF the poor young lady,
and just at this time more than any other.
MY wife and thought OF offering you some
thing IN remembrance of her"
The woman lifted her shawl and drew
forth an armful of blussoming branches
They are" said she - the first flowers
of the tree she painted. and we bring them
to you. They tell better than we can what
our hearts felt toward Mlle. Moussia. And
if you will allow US we will ALWAYS come
with some, so long as the tree gives flowers
and fruit"
Oh, the goodness of simple heartsl 1t is
worth more than all the eloquence of the
poet or all the gold of the earthi
The gardeners kept their word, and thus it
Is that Moussia's icture is adorned with
pink blossoms and red ripe apples-the
faithful and candid tribute from the old
apple tree to the dead girL-Andre ThieuEet
in the n. Y. World.