The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1898-08-17

Ni"PPeu III looSo Wnlto plush gown.
She was much thinner, very pale Her
large eyes shone with phosphorescent
brlliancy. Recognizing her friends, she
uttered joyful exclamation, and rails
/ ing herself with difficulty she gave
them hor emaciated hand.
Il am so happy to see you, = she said,
/ coughing almost ut every word You
must not feel hurt because | did not
come 10 thank you am not allowed to
/ go out. Ii seems that | worked too hard
ON my Inst picture | took cold standing
III the grass am now here for some
| time =
The herticulturist and his wife look
ed at her in hewilderment. An express
sion of deep pity came over their faces
The gardener no longer knew what to
do with tho package containing tho
silk. llo felt that he could not return It.
We dom mind it rs you were sick =
answered the wife, "but still wa were
sorry that you sent us this silk What
We did for You we did Willingly We
did not want present for letting you
work on our place My husband and
decided to bring the dress back "
"oh, you were the one who wished
to bring it back, " interrupted the hus-
band
You are both foolish about the mat
ter = exclaimed Moussia, laughing as
she used to. You would pain mo deep.
ly by refusing my present. l wish you
To wear this dress, she added, speak
| mo -. H.,
hranco of mo 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
mo. " answered Moussia, 81 cannot
get we'll The candle is burning ut 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 tho apple tree" she asked. ab
raptly changing the subject. lis it nj
ways beautiful"
"Oh, no. indeed. they answered.
tho blossoms are all gone but tho fruit
is beginning to show. Apples will be
plentiful. You must como cut and eat
some i'll September. Tho good air of
Seyres will restore You To health, made.
moiselle
She shook her hend and let it fall
back ON the cushions, tired and exhaust.
ed by having spoken so much.
When tho hortieulturist and his wife
departed, Moussia closed her eyes and
thought of the apple tree 1t wits III
good health. Tho sap was running from
its roots to its branches 1t spread it,
foliage in tho sun, laughing ut rain and
wind, at cold nights and hot moons,
while she imprisoned in II room at
tended hy the wisest Paris doctors, was
slowly dying Oh, misery of human life
She was young, beautiful, rich, beloved,
unusually gifted She had so much to
tell the world, her head was so full Of
| pictures.
Toward the end Of October tho gar.
dcnor and his wife received letter
with u wide black border telling thon
Of MouSsia * death, and these good poo-
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 moro inn
preston than the falling of dead leaf.
After II few days of painful astonish
mont the gay Partisan world which had
SO admired and fctcd Moussia returned
to its business and its pleasures Alone
three women III mourning continued to
weep in the home of the Avenue do
Nilliers
one April afternoon they were quiet
ly sitting i'll the drawing room, filled
with souvenirs Of the departed, when
the gardener and his wife came into tho
room. They were dressed for the occa-
sion. The husband wore his Sunday
coat, the wife had her shawl ON, under
which She concealed a large package.
Excuse us, ladies, " said the garden
er, 81 ann afraid we are disturbing you,
bat we could not let this time of the
year go by without letting you know
that we often speak Of tho dear young
lady. My wife and thought we would
like TO bring you something in remem-
brance of her Tho 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 letter than
we can how we felt toward Mile. Nous
sia. and il you Will allow it we will
bring you every year some blossoms
from the tree az long rs it bears =
What kindness there is in simple
hearts 1t is truly worth more than all
the cloqucnce 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 $ 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 tho French of Andre
Theuriet For Short Stories.