The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-09-06

aid not want a present for letting you
work on our place. My husband and l
decided to bring the dress back.
ooh, you were the one who wished
to bring it back, y interrupted the hus-
band
"You are both foolish about the mat
ter, exclaimed Moussia, laughing as
she used to. "You would pain me deep
ly by refusing my present. l wish you
to wear this DRESS, !" she added, speak
ing to the gardeners wife, Sin remem-
brance of me when | am no longer in
this world. -
Then they both assured her that as
she was so young she would soon regain
her strength and overcome the disease.
''No," answered Moussia, 81 cannot
get we'll. The candle is burning at both
ends. / shall not live long You know
that children who are too clever never
live long" She tried to laugh, but
mist covered her blue eyes.
"And the apple tree?" she asked, alb
ruptly changing the subject. ''Is it al
ways beautiful?''
"Oh, no, indeed, they answered,
1.-THE blossoms are all gone; but the fruit
is beginning to show. Apples will be
plentiful. You must come out and eat
some in September. The good air of
Sevres will restore you to health, made
moiselle."
She shook her head and let it fall
back on the cushions, tired and exhaust
ed by having spoken SO much.
When the horticulturist and his wife
departed, Moussia closed her eyes and
thought Of the apple tree 1t was in
good health. The sap was running from
its roots to its branches. 1t spread it's
foliage in the sun, laughing at rain and
wind, at cold nights and hot moons,
while she, imprisoned in a room, at
tended by the wisest Paris doctors, was
slowly dying, Oh, misery Of human lifel
She was young, beautiful, rich, beloved,
unusually gifted She had so much to
pictures.
Toward the end of October the gar
dener and his wife received letter
with wide black border telling them
of Moussia's death, and these good peo-
pie wept for the lovely girl who during
one month had been the life and bright.
ness of their modest country dwelling.
In the mad whirl of large cities hu-
man life ended makes little more i'm
preston than the falling Of dead leaf.
After few days of painful astonish
ment the gay Partisan world which had
SO admired and feted Moussia returned
to its business and it's pleasures. Alone
three women in mourning continued to
weep in the home of the Avenue de
Villiers
One April afternoon they were quiet
ly sitting in the drawing room, filled
with souvenirs of the departed, when
the gardener and his wife came into the
room. They were dressed for the occa-
sion. The husband wore his Sunday
coat, the wife had her shawl on, under
which she concealed large package.
Excuse us, ladies, - said the garden
er, 81 am afraid we are disturbing you,
but we could not let this time of the
year go by without letting you know
that we often speak of the dear young
lady. My wife and thought we would
like to bring you something in remem-
brance of her. !" The woman raising her
shawl brought forth an armful of flow
cry branches. "These are, :" he contin-
ued, "the blossoms of the apple tree she
painted They will tell you better than
we can how we felt toward Mile Nous
STA, and if you will allow it we will
bring you every year some blossoms
from the tree as long as it bears. =
What kindness there is in simple
hearts 1t is truly worth more than all
the eloqpence of the poets and all the
gold of the earth. The gardener and his
wife have kept their word, and thus it
is that Moussia's picture is almost al
ways adorned with pink blossoms or
ripe apples-faithful and simple offer
ing from the old apple tree to the dead
young girl From the French of Andre
Theuriet For Short Stories