Margarita for the last time; but when we arrived at the door, and the
others following my mother went in, I alone hung back. They came out
and tried to persuade me to enter, even to pull me in, and described
her appearance to excite my curiosity. She was lying all in white,
with her black hair combed out and loose, on her white bed, with our
flowers on her breast and at her sides, and looked very, very
beautiful. It was all in vain. To look on Margarita dead was more than
I could bear. I was told that only her body of clay was dead--the
beautiful body we had come to say good bye to; that her soul--she
herself, our loved Margarita--was alive and happy, far, far happier
than any person could ever be on this earth; that when her end was
near she had smiled very sweetly, and assured them that all fear of
death had left her--that God was taking her to Himself. Even this was
not enough to make me face the awful sight of Margarita dead; the very
thought of it was an intolerable weight on my heart; but it was not
grief that gave me this sensation, much as I grieved; it was solely my
fear of death.




CHAPTER IV

THE PLANTATION

Living with trees--Winter violets--The house is made habitable--Red
willow--Scissor-tail and carrion-hawk--Lombardy poplars-Black acacia--
Other trees--The foss or moat--Rats--A trial of strength with an
armadillo--Opossums living with a snake--Alfalfa field and butterflies
--Cane brake---Weeds and fennel--Peach trees in blossom--Paroquets--