The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-04-15
VOU are as good as Dead" said the
doctor, looking steadily at Ana

tole.
Anatole staggered. He had come to
pass a cheerful evening with his old
friend, DR.. Bardais, the savant whose
works in poisonous substances are so
well and favorably known, but one
whose excellence of heart and almost
fatherly kindness Anatole had been
able to appreciate more than anyone.
And now all of sudden, without re-
gard for his feelings, without being
prepared to hear it, the terrible prog
nostic is uttered by so great an author
ity.
''Unfortunate fellow" continued the
doctor, "what have you done?'
Nothing that l know Of" STAN
mered Anatole, greatly troubled.
'"rry to recollect. Tell me what you
have drank, what you have eaten, and
what you have breathed."
The last word spoken by the doctor
was a ray of light to Anatole. That
very morning he had received letter
from one of his friends who was trav-
cling in India. In this letter had
been a flower plucked on the shores
of the Gauges by the trave,4r-a flow
er, red, warped, and of bizarre shape,
the odor of which, he remembered we'll
now, had seemed to him strangely pene-
trating. Anatole searched in his pock-
etbook and took therefrom the letter
and flower in question, which he showed
to the savant.
'Without doubt" exclaimed the doc
tor, ''it is the Pyramenensis Indica-
the fatal flower the flower of DEATH"
do you really think SOP"
II am sure of it,"
"But it is not possible. am only IS
years old. feel myself full of life and
health
"When did you open that fatal let
ter?"
cat nine o'clock this morning"
swell, tomorrow morning, at the
same hour, indeed at the same moment,
you will feel sharp anguish at the
heart, and it will be all over with you"
sand do you not know any remedy,
any means Of"
'None," said the doctor, and, hiding
his face in his hands, he sank back
ward in his armchair, choked with
grief.
From the emotion displayed by his
oil friend, Anatole realized that there
was no hope. He departed in dazed
manner.
With beads of cold perspiration on
his brow and his thoughts confused,
Anatole moved along unconscious of
what was passing around him, and not
even suspecting that the streets were
becoming deserted. He wandered
long time thus; but at length, coming
to bench, he sat down.
The rest did him good. Until then
he had been like man who has been
struck on the head with club. The
effects of the shock were disappearing,
and he began now to collect his va
grant thoughts.
my plight" thought he, sis that of
a person condemned to death. Yet
can still hope for mercy. By the way,
how much longer have to live?"
He looked at his watch.
ut lacks three hours of morning. It
is time was in bed. go to bed, in
deed! To devote the last sad hours
of my life to sleep! No. can certainly
do better than that. But, what? Par
bleu! have it. will draw up my last
will and testament"
A restaurant which remained open all
night was near by. Anatole entered
and sat down.
Waiter, a bottle of champagne and
bottle of ink"
He drank glass and looked at his
writing paper. rejecting: ITO whom
shall l leave my 5000 francs income?
have neither father nor mother-a
fact which is lucky for them. And