The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-07-16
THAT GUARDIAN PINE.

Down in that land at the southern
boundary of which the Pyrenees rise like
a wall of blue marble the houses are al
ways built facing the sunrise and nearly
every one of them mas a guardian pine.
Before one of these white houses, where
lived an honest fellow named Lue LabOrde,
an immense parasOl pine had shot up ma
iesically to the height of eighty feet or
more and spread its umbrella-Shaped
branches lust under the clouds, giving its
name to Laborde's cottage, which was
known as "The ParasoL"
This tree brought good fortune to the
house. Luc LabOrde, the young heir, who
was still bachelor, was almost rich. HIS
crops fiourished, his granaries were full,
his cattle were fat and healthy, and no
con agi0us disease had ever attacked the
inmates of the cottage, thanks to the pa
triarchal vigilance of the pine tree. whose
purifying branches constantly diffuseG
wholesome fragrance.
You have fine tree" said CazadP, the
CARPENTER, who had recently installed him.
self IN the next house to L bOrde's. II
will give you 100 francs for II"
H. was q stranger in the country and
did not understand the veneratlon felt for
the guardian tree. Therefor Luc forgave
him.
y
his nPghbOr:
at is unbearable! Your tree overshad-
Ows my orchard and all nv apple irees 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 l will burn it down."
Luc Laborde rolled uD his sleeve and
prepared to send the insolent fellow back
to his own house without further arg,-
ment. He was Just going TO attack him
furiously when a frightened voice-such
sweet voice was never heard-cried sud-
denly:
Help. help! He will kill my fatherw
A young girl with flushed face appeared,
and Luc Opped, d sarmed by the flute-lil
tones of Mile Louise Cazade, for his ears
we're accustomed only TO the lowing of
cattle, and the sweet sounds gave him a
strange sensation. making him think of
sugar and vanilla:
Under the great tree a woman's form
was seen against the sunset. STOPPING fur
tiyelV to gather up the dried tWigs, and
LabOrde hurried out, as was his duty. To
accost the trespasser. When she saw him
she trembIed ysibIy and stammered with
fright:
II beg your pardOn-I will give them
back"
1t was Louise, the carpenters daughter.
had been picking up small branches with
which to kindle her fire.
30, keep them, keep them." he said
generously, land II you want any more
here are plenty. And he stopped and
picked up great armful of the twigs,
then, breathing very hard. laid them
in her apron.
One evening when the dying sunlight
was reddening the tips of the pines
branches as if with starry kiss l. c made
bold to say to pretty Louise, Il love you"
this with wretched French accent, but
so tenderly!
The next morning he stood, cap in hand
and with bowed head, before the carDen-
ter, making a formal proposal of marriage,
while the pine tree sang magnifcat.
"Why, YOU don't mean it, OF course,
nv good fellow. | shall be delighted" ex-
claimed the recOnciled neighb0r, with I'M
feigned satisfaction; for. to say the truth.
be knew that Luc was well to 90.
The next minute, however, he winked
meaninglv and said in a Whisper:
There's one condition. You must let
me- cut down that stupid tree of yours"
This Luc refused.
After that lie thought more of the pine
than ever, aud put an iron screen round
its trunk so that the wagou-wneels should
not scratch or bTuIse ii.
Luc was afraid to touch the pine-tree,
for one Of his forefathers had once deter
mined 70 cut ii down and had been re-
buked for his ingratitCde. Just as he
struck his ak against one Of the roots
which was sticking out like a great toe
mad bull came rushing toward him and
would have killed him if he bad rot clam
bered MP The trees trunk.
Hal ha! you are rIdicul0usp' laughed
the CARPENTER when Luc confessed his
fears. and then he added, contemptuously,
81 would not give You my daughter now
on any condition. You are too great an
idiot"
The Young man shuddered and went back
to his Own house.
A few days later Luc Laborde saw an
other man, cap in hand, enter Cazade's
house lust as he had done, and he knew it
was rival sutton.
He could no longer eat nor sleep, and he
grew thinner every day. He neglected his
crops and gathered poor harvests. He be-
came morose and spoke roughly to his Cat
tie, and wien he CHANGED to hear Louise's
voice he started as If il were the sound of
a cannon. The other young man continued
10 go TO Cazade's house.
"Prrhs ps | am an idot," said Luc.
The pine tree was cut down few days |
later, CaZade supeTlDtendlng the work. |
Four great ropes ware fastened TO the tree. |
and two men with barred arms attacked it |
with alternate stio kes Of their heavy axes. |
murderous assault, and at every stoke he |
WINGED though us own flesh had re-
ceived the blow.
All a. once the pine tree began to MUIR
muir, at first with vague, almost inaudi- |
bic sound, then more distinctly and with |
eveT-lncreaslng volume until its voice be- |
came so sad and reproachful that it N ade |
one shndder The tree was weeping. Luc |
stopped his ears.
Uttering a last long cry, it swayed |
grandly, then. making a great sound with |
its branches, fell with a noise like the |
brea king of bones.
You see, simp leton. it did OF hurt you,"
said the carpenter with heartless laugh. |
A year later when Luc found himself |
the father OF a beautiful rosy doll whose |
innocent glances were like sunlight in his |
heart, the corpse OF the pine tree, which |
lay drying up in the father-in-law's wood |
shed, gave no signs OF interfering.
Three months passed, the old tree was |
sawed into hugh fragrant josts, and then |
a strange rumOr spread abroad. A Span |
lard had come across the m fountains. bring |
ing the cholera with him and three persons |
of the village had fallen victims.
Inc felt his hair stand with terror. |
Where now was the guardian tree which |
had always kept off baDeful Influences with |
Its broad, luxurious Dranchesp
"Heavpn protect us from the pine trees |
|" thought Luc, and he hurried |
into his father-in-law's workshop, exclaim-
ing:
''Giye me a few planks of the tree. l
will make a bedstead. That will protect