The Davenport gazette., 1850-07-11
INTERESTING INCIDENT.

The Paris correspondent Of the St. Louis Re
publican furnishes his readers with the following
little story:
In many towns and villages, on the first OIL
May, it is not the most beautiful girl, but the most
vituous, who is chosen Queen Of May. She is
chosen by the young men of the place without
her knowledge, and on May day, before daylight
they proceed to her house and plant the May-pole
before her door. When she comes out, she finds
all her companions assembled around the pole to
congratulate her and conduct her to church, where
she receives the priests blessing and then the
festivities commence. A few years ago, very
interesting incident occurred in little village in
the south ofFrance. When the council Of young
men assembled on the last day Of April 10 decide
who should be Queen of May, il was found that
there were two young girls in the village, both
equally virtuous. Their merits were canyassed
in every point, but with justice no preference
could be shown. What was to be done! The
council deliberated until after midnight, and at
last it was proposed to have two queens, to
crown both young girls. This was unanimously
agreed to, but soon new difficulty arose. Only
one pole had been prepared, and if there were two
queens, there must be two poles, and there as
not time enough now to dress another pole. At
last young man, whose father owned large
garden, proposed bringing an apple tree which
was then in blossom in his fathers garden, and
planting that before the door of one the young
queens. This was thought an excellent idea the
tree was dug up, borne off and planted. One Of
the young girls chosen, was the daughter ofparents
in very comfortable circumstances; the other " as
the only child Of poor widow who found the
greatest difficulty 10 earn very scanty subsis-
tencp. Chance alone caused that the full blown
apple tree was planted 10 front Of The widows
house while the gaily dressed pole was erected
before the dwelling oi her richer neighbor. Poor
Susan, the widows daughter, was Of course,
greatly delighted 10 find herself chosen one OF the
queens, but she could not help feeling that lit
tie partiaity had been shown in giving her the ap
pie tree, which must die before its blossoms were
withered, while her neighbor, Blanche, had the
high pole, all wreathed with roses and streaming
with ribbons, and a little something like envy
crossed her heart. But the day passed of very
joyously, with the exception of few ill-natured
remarks Susan had addressed to her BY couple
Of very giddy girls. However what was the
astonshment of every one when the blossoms OF
the apple tree instead of whitening, kept fresh
until they naturally dropped off and gave place to
little apples, and, so far from dying, the tree
seemed to have gained new life from its transplant
tation. II was tree which had never borne
fruit, although every year covered with an abun-
dance Of blossoms. But now the little apples
were seen 10 cover it all over; they gradually grew
larger, thiived well and finally, in the fall, Susan
had not the Joy of only gathering fine crop of
apes, uut vi ni'uiHS 'hen very ueHcoHs, dhol
selling them at such good profit as to buy great
many things to make herself and her mother
comfortable for the winter. Everybody look ed
upon it as miracle-a reward Of virtue sent by
the ssgood God" himself, and Susan became i'm
mediately an object Of reverence to every young
person in the village. Five years have now
passed since the event. Susan is happy wife
and mother, and the apple tree has not yet failed
to give yearly and increasing supply of excel
lent fruit.
This little story was related to me by gen.
tleman who lives near the village and who knows
Susan very WELL