Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-10-20
NICE1nrE.

the INDUSTRIOUS SdVanI whose works on
venomous substances are known all
over the world, whose nobility of heart
and almost paternal goodness Anatole
had learned to know better than any
other living soul; and now, without the
least hesitation or preparation, he heard
this terrible representation issue from
those authoritative lipsl
Unhappy child, what have you doner'
continued the doctor.
Nothing that know of" stammered
Anatole, greatly agitated
TAX your memory; tell me what you
have eaten or drunk-what you have in
haled."
The last word was a ray of light to
Anatole. That very morning he had re-
ceived a letter from one of his friends
who was travelling in India. In the let
ter was flower plucked on bank of
the Ganges by the traveller strangely
formed red flower, the perfume of which
he now recalled the fact vividly-had
appeared to him to be singularly pene-
trative. He hastily drew forth his pook-
etbook and produced the letter and its
contents and handed them to the savant.
mo doubt is possible!" cried the doc
tor; sit is the Pyramenensis indica-
the deadly flower, the flower of blood"
ou-really-think"-
'Alasl | am sure of it."
"But-it is impossiblel l am only
five and twenty years of age and feel
full of life and healthy
cat what hour did you open that fatal
letter.
"This morning at o'clock"
"Well-tomorrow morning, at the
same hour, at the same minute, in full
health, as you say, you will feel pain
in your heart-and all will be over"
"And you know of no remedy-no
means Of
"Nonev' said the doctor.
And covering his face with his hands
he sank into a chair overcome by grief.
In face of the profound emotion of
his old friend, Anatole understood that
he was really condemned.
He hurried from the doctors house
like mailman. His forehead bathed in
perspiration, his ideas all confused, 60
ing he knew not whittier, he sped on
and ON amid the darkness of the night,
taking no heed of the loneliness of the
streets he was traversing. For a long
time he pursued this blind course, until
at length, finding bench. he sank down
upon it.
How many hours had he still to live?
The persistent and distressing sound
Of racking cough brought him back to
consciousness; he looked in the direc-
ton whence it came and saw, seated
upon the same bench, pale and weak
little flower girl-a child not more than
eight years old, who, as Francois Cop
pee says
Dies Of the winter while offering us the spring
That verse of the poets occurred to
the mind of Anatole; he felt in his
waistcoat pocket and found there two
sous and two louis. He was going &c
give the poor child the two sous, but rec
ollecting that he had only few hours
longer to live he gave her the two louis
This incident did him good.
He had been like man stunned by 8
blow on the head; his bewilderment wa:
overcome now and he began to reassem
BILE his dislocated ideas.
my situation" he said to himself, 81,
that of a man condemned to death. A
man in that position may still, however
hope for pardon-many of that sort arr
pardoned in our days. In past time
even some have been saved from the a.
or the cord TO devote themselves to som
difficult or dangerous piece of work-th
launching of a ship, for example, or q
in the time of Louis XI to marry an oil
woman. If l were consulted in tn
matter should prefer to launch a ship
Unfortunately shall not be consulte,
during the short interval of time tina
remains to me. But, by the way, hoV
long have got to liver
He looked at his watch.
Three o'clock in the morning-it
time to go to bed. To bed-waste i
sleep my last six hoursl Not if / knov
il. / have certainly something bette
than that to do. But what? Of cours
to make my will.
A restaurant-one of those which kee
open all night-was not far off. AMI
tole entered it.
"Garcon, bottle of champagne-an
ink and paper"
He drank aglass of Clicquot and locke
thoughtfully at the sheet of paper b
fore him.
ITO whom shall bequeath my 6,Ot
francs year? have neither father NJ
mother-happily for theml Among Il
persons who interest me, see only OF
-Nicette."
Nicette was charming girl of eigh
cen, with blond tresses and large blaC
eyes; an orphan like himself-a cor
munity in misfortune which had lor
established between them a secret an
complete sympathy.
His last will and testament was spec
lily drawn up; universal legatee, Nicett
That done he drank second glass
champagne
Poor Nicetter' he unused; ''she w