The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-03-17

the long friendship was broken up
Garretson boarded a few blocks dis.
tant from the old house and lived al.
most a recluse, his only memories
those of Mary Lassalle, his only hopes
of meeting her again. The new own.
er OF the Lassalle home, plying the
forlorn man, suggested that he should
continue to take care of the garden,
and to this proposition Garretson
gladly assented.
Then, very suddenly. a strange
event occurred. In the June of 1892,
Just when the wonderful peach trees
we're putting forth little green balls of
fruit, they died. Not In a month or
a week: they died in three days.
Every leaf fell from the shrivelling
tWigs, the young fruit fell, the dead
trees stood out desolate against the
landscape in early summer. And the
flowers, that had been so brilliant. be-
came very ordinary flowers, indeed.
and never afterward did Garretson
possess that power which had been
the subject of SO much comment.
-Four days after this strange &C.
currence a telegram was handed to
Garretson while he sat in his lonely
room In the boarding house. 1t was
from Professor Lassalle and read:
Come at once Ruth is dying and
calls for you
"Garretson arrived ten minutes be-
fore she died. She had given birth
to little girl three days before
about the time when the peach trees
died. When she saw Andrew enter
her room she turned to him with all
her remaining strength.
Take her-care for her, she
whispered. And forgive That was
all she could say. Afterward Lassalle
told Garretson that with the birth of
the child she had seemed to expert
ence sudden revulsion in her feel.
ings toward Andrew. She could never
have lived, not with the most skilful
surgeons in the world attending her.
But she seemed to think OF nothing
but her unkindness to her husbands
old friend, and she had expressed the
wish that Garretson should be her
child's guardian, if he survived her
husband.
Well" said Doctor Emmanuel, ris-
Ing from his chair and pacing the
room quickly, that is all there is to
tell. Lassalle died two years after
ward and Garretson became the
guardian of Miss Margaret She has
been, like daughter to him, but, as
said, Garretson is afraid that a Deep
er sentiment may develop on her part,
as it has on his, and to avoid that he
s sending her to England, at the cost |
Of great deal of suffering. It is
DID," he added, how men like Gar
'etson, who are by nature affection |
tie and dependent for their happiness
IN happy home life, should be con-
crucified in their loves"
Paul Tarrant stood up.
Now let US analyze this story of
ours, Emmanuel" he said. ut seems
o me you are making a mountain out
"a % A1OlOAAi. ING LEcUTy yOu are
putting forward is, Of course, that
Hiss Margaret Lassalle is the rein
arnation of her half-sister, Miss
dary, and that the mother, realizing
his with the approach of death, made
aarretson her guardian"
THAT is my theory" answered the
octor, smiling. well, have you a
letter one, Tarrant?"
"And that Miss Margaret passed a
rior, or rather between-stages exist
nee, as an orchard of peach trees.
low, my dear doctor, are you not
ware that the life of the peach is
My twelve or fifteen years? Sup
ose the orchard did die suddenly?
'erhaps it was nipped by late frost.
+ood heavens, Emmanuel, as I said
efore, are you going to bring me
ack to earth as a bushel of sweet
cas- or a couple of hundred beds of
eraniums?"
This is my Interpretation" an
Wered the doctor. ignoring the others
utburst. Il can imagine Mary Las