The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-08-04

and was fattened on the bone. 1 ex-
tracted it. and speedy cure followed.
MIsFoRTUNEs VISIT La GIRoNIERE.
At this period sad event plunged nv
house into morning Letters from nv
| family announced to me that my brother
Robert had returned from Porto Rico, but
that soon after serious illness had
carried him to the grave. He died in the
arms of my mother and sisters. In tho
| small house OF La blanche, where, as I
said before, we had all been brought up
A few months afterwards a new source
of sorrow fell to our lot. Our little social
party at Jala-Jala consisted of my sister
| ln-law; of Deiaunay, young man from
st. MalO, who had come from Bourbon to
estaolisn at Manila some manufactures
for baking sugar; of Bermigan. young
Spaniard, and my friend Capt. Gabriel
LafOnd, like myself from Nantes He had
come to the Philippine Islands on board
the Fills de France, had passed some
years In South America, and had occu-
pied several places of distinction i'm the
Navy, as Captain Commandment. until at
last, after many adventures and vicissi-
tudeS, he came with small fortune to
Manila, where he bought vessel and
set sail for the Pacific Ocean, to fish for
the balate or Sea-worm.
He had scarcely reached the Island of
TOngatabou when the vessel struck upon
the rocks that surround this island: he
saved himself by swimming to the shore.
having lost everything. Thence he went
to the Marianne Islands, where grief and
bad food caused him to fall ill: he re-
turned to Manila.
| had him brought to my house, and
whilst there attended to him with all tho
care fellOw-countryman and a good
friend endowed with sterling and amiable
qualities deserved. Our evenings were
spent in amusing and instructive con-
verSation. As we had all travelled q
great deal, each had something to relate.
During the day the invalids kept COM
pany with the ladies', while my brother
and myself followed our respective avoca-
tons.
But soon a shocking event disturbed
the calm that reigned at Jala -JaIa.
Bermigan fell so dangerously i'll that
few days suf1iced To convince me there
was no hope of saving him. / shall never
forget the fatal night; we were all as
sembled in the drawing room, grief and
CONSERVATION were in every heart and
portrayed in every cOuntenance; in an
adjoining room a few short steps from US
we heard the death rattle of poor Bermi-
gan, who had only few minutes to live.
My excellent friend, Lafond, whom sick
ness had reduced almost to the last stage,
broke silence and said:
''Welll poor Bermigan goes to-day, and
in few days, perhaps tomorrow, it will
be my turn. Just seei my dear Don
Pablo; l may almost say that no longer
exist. Look at my feet-my bOdyi am
a mere skeleton; | can scarcely take any
food. All it is better to be dead than
live like this!'
.'OOr Bermigan breathed his last. Our
house at Jala-Jala was no longer un-
touched by the hand of Death-a human
being had expired therein; and on the
day, in sadness and silence, We
all proceeded to the cemetery to inter the
body of our friend and render him the last
proofs of our respect.
Some time afterwards l had the gratifi-
cation to see the efforts employed for my
friend LafOnd were successful. By means
Of the strong remedies / administered his
health was speedily restored, his appetite
and he was soon able to set sail
for France. He is now residing in Paris,
married to a woman possessed of every
quality necessary to make man happy,
and is the father OF three children. Hold
ing an honorable position, and enjoying
public esteem he has never forgotten the
six months he spent at Jala-Jala.
10 be continued.l