The Portland daily press., 1894-01-24
Thu GUARDIAN PINE.

OOWI III UudC Uedf laHu dU LILO southern
boundary of which the Pyrenees rise like
wall Of blue marble the houses are al
ways built facing the sunrise, and nearly
every one of them has guardian tree.
Sometimes it is a fig tree, sometimes a
pine or an oak, which grows near the door
way, spreading It's heavy branches over
the roof as if to protsct the household from
baneful influences and from the evil spir-
its which, the peasants believe, are fioat-
ing in the air.
Before one of these white houses, where
lived an honest fellow named Luc Laborde,
an immense parasol pine had shot up ma
jeaticaily to the height of so feet or more
aad spread its umbrella shaped branches
tusS under the clouds, giving it's name to
Laborde's cottage, which was known as
1.-THE Parasol." The greet pine could be
ssen from every part of the parish, and the
birds which migrate in the autumn perch
ed fearlessly on its boughs, feeling quite
safe SO far from the pursuit of men.
This tree brought good fortune to the
house. Luc Laborde, the young heir, who
was still bachelor. was almost rich His
crops fourished, his granaries were full,
his cattle were fat and healthy, and no con-
tagious disease had ever attacked the in
mates of the cottage, thanks to the patri-
archal vigilance of the pine tree, whose
purifying branches constantly diffused
wholesome fragrance.
s'You have fine tree, said Cazade, the
carpenter, who had recently installed him
self in the next house to Laborde's. II
will give you 100 francs for it,
He was a stranger in the country and
did not understand the veneration felt for
the guardian tree Therefore Luc forpaye
him.
A year later the same carpenter said to
his neighbor:
aft is unbearablei Your tree overshad-
cws my orchard, and all my apple trees
are dying. More than that, the roots of
your ridiculous pine are upsetting the
stone wall. warn you, my lad, if you
will not sell me your tree, will burn it
down.
Luc Laborde rolled up his sleeves, spat
On his palms energetically after the Gas
coigne cuat0m, and prepared to send the
insnient fellow back to his own house with
out further argument. He was just going
to attack him furiously when frightened
voice-such sweet voice was never heard
cried suddenly:
Help, heipl He will kill my fatherp'
A young girl with a flushed face appeared,
and Lue stopped disarmed by the flute
like tones of Mile Louise Cazade, for his
ears were accustomed only to the lowing
of cattle, and the sweet sounds gave him
strange sensaticn, making him think OF
sugar and vanilla.
An afternoon in the springtime. The
paraEol pine was putting forth new shoots,
which looked like soft green fingers trying
to stead the sunbeams that fell around
The breeze, evidently charmed by the sight,
sang joyous song round the top of the
tree. twas a special purring sound which
is never heard excepting in pine trees and
which still echoes In the ears of tbs Lam
dofs peasants when they are exi1es in dis
taIt cities.
Under the great tree woman's form
WIS seen agailst the sunset, STOPPING fur
tdvnfy to gather Up the dried twigs, and
Laborde hurried out, as was his duty, to
accost the trespasser. When she saw him,
she tzeEmbled visIbly and stanmered with
fright
81 beg your pardon-I will give them
back
Ii wss Louise, the carpenters daughter
Thinking that No one would see her, she
had been picking up small branches with
which to kindle her fire
Here they are, SIR she said, blushing
hotly as she opened her apron and held the
sfoien treasures toward him. Luc felt his
heart Leap as he looked at the girl, for her
eyes shDne like rising stars
Oh keep them, keep them," he said
generously, "and if you want any more
here are plenty" And he stopped and
picked mp Ii great arlnful of the twigs,
then, breathing very hard, laid them gem
tiy In her apron.
Pray take Them, +" he began, but start
ed suddenly, for-quite accidentally-the
TIP of her finger touched his hand, and
whlle the pine tree, which had been the
cause OF this meeting, was humming
roguishly Luc Lahorde ran away without
another word as il he had touched red
hot iror
As was to be expected, few days later
the old tree saw the two young people meet
on the same spot, and this time they were
hess tinid and more neighborly.
One evening when the dying sunlight
was reddcning the tips of the pines branch
es as if with starry kiss Luc made bold
to say to the pretty Louise, II love your
this with wretched French accent, but
20 tenderly!
4Ao uSAt MorH1HS B0 sJOOQ, cap IN nand
and with bowed head, before the carpen-
ter, making formal proposal of marriage,
while the pine tree sang magnificent.
why, you don't mean it! Of course,
my good fellow, 1 shall be delighted ex-
claimed the reconcifod neighbor, with I'M
fei3ned satisfaction, for, to say truth, he
knew that Luc was well to do.
The neNt minute, however, he winked
meaningly and said in whisper:
There is one condition You must let
me cut down that stupid tree of yours"
This LUG refused. The carpenter insist
ed upon his absurd condition, but the
young man would not give in He loved
Louise, and was he to destroy the old tree.
the father of their mutual affection? Neverl
After that he thought more of the pine
than e@cr and put an iron screen round its
trunk, SO that the wagon wheels should
not scratch or hruise it. One of his ances-
tors had planted that tree hundreds of
years ago, Ih,c's grandfather had cared for
it tsnderiy, and swarm of bees lad made
their home in its venerable trunk, render
ing it still more sacred. Besides all this.
Luc was afraid to touch the pine tree. for
one OF his forefathers had once determined
to cut it down and had been rebuked for
his lngratitude. Just as he struck his ak
Al.