The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-07-13
THE sQUIRE,s APPLE TREE.

Would it tighten your burdens if you knew
That here in the dark we were crying with youi
THE SQUIRE'S APPLE TREE.
r There never. was face like. that up
on child's shoulder's.s Mr.. John At
well thought that often and often as,
glancing across the district school,
room, he saw it always in mischief).
1t was not pretty face-not an ugly
5one.r 1t was bright, and dark, and
but it was so old-so full
of lsagacity-so thoroughly able to
look out for ITSELF a'-ad3Fai
I. 2 In fact its owner, Mike Morgan,
had looked out for himself for several
years earned bread and lodging by
doing odd jobs, and kept himself at
school in the winter. season.
He was only twelve, and had no
relative on earth as far as he knew
At this moment he was leering most
wickedly. ao 'a.'l ks ,-.ar
~ E. Walk here, SIR" said MIR. Atwell.
Mike wake there. l'''.'
q g What were you doing under the
desk 2" ssIiir.5ss bsss f4,gT1, iJz l}ssa
- !" L YIN my shoe, sir.o -ssf. %.
Z "He warn't," piped a small voice
che was eatin' my lunch up, please
sir. May I come and show you the
bite ?" 4fa 81 is'iA w '','' :
You may not. Mike, how dare
ID little girPs lunch, too. IL blush
for fyou."i1 20 'd3ia s;il i3-l led
= "DidnT do it, sir.~ ss9d -.--ry
81 Why, your mouth is full"
GO No. sif. n ssh 3i3S4--.1sraH
{ And Mixes ears were boxed, and
he was sent back to his seat without
confession. Nobody ever made Mike
confess yet. e i5sfG ss idSD
z Whatever he did, he denied doing.
Yet, Mike had more sense than a
dozen of the others put together. He
never missed lesson he never made
a fool of himself and brought dis
grace on the teacher before the COM
mittee, and he was useful in carrying
messages. He generally had two Or
three Of a confidential nature to do
for Mr.. John Atwell during each
week. For be it known, Mr.. Atwell
was in love-desperately in love
desperately in love-with daughter
of one of the most malignant and
'overbearing old gentlemen who ever
had. the gout-the rich man of the
village, yclept Squire Tooker, who
not only despised John for being
poor, but detested him for having vo-
ted for the candidate whom he op-
posed at certain election. Conse-
quently the fcourtship was carried on
in secresy, and Mike was, postmaster.
s On this very day (which had wit
messed the abstraction of Sukey Slo-
Gums lunch, Mike sat down on the
school porch and whitfield long
branch into nothing. despite all in
ducements to play offered by the 9TH
er boys. He knew that the master
was writing a letter and that he
should be asked to carry it ere long
and truly before many minutes had
passed the voice of the teacher, was
heard; calling: Half9Si go 1a za..-sas
Any one there 2" stJ = 2.
g Me, said Nike 2d is.is
"Come here" Mike came. - z-ab
You'll take this letter." z''h
"To Miss Tooker," said Mike, in
terrupting. -. 1e IN fse
aTo Miss Tooker, and if there is an
answer, wait for it. It's very impor-
tant." Haasa isgz .s4als5o.i vas.lafa3 !
eyes, SIR" said Mike: q -@at i, 1aa
He took the letter gingerly, wrap
ped it in a piece of oiled silk which
he had made into kind of bag, and
put it in his ragged cap. If he had
known what the letter contained
Alas, alas, that it should be so; low
ers will have quarrels. Tilly and
John had had one, and for at least one
whole week they had been strange ers
to each other. Now John penitently
desired forgiveness, and his letter was
to that. effect. "A. heart of stone must
have been touched by it. ,7.rsv,-.e
If you can pardon me, dear Til
1y,"' he wrote, g send me line in an
swer-only one line. If lido not heal
from you I shall shoot myself or &C
to sea-. What / have suffered no NOR.
tai tongue can tell. Answer me, fol
Heavens sake, by the bearer" e..5..
|59 /" "Remember,7i he q said to Mike
again, "if there IS an answer, wal
for it." 81 ~. p =
Mike promised. bar !j.ll
The schoOlmaster went home. Al
an early hour he hurried to the school.
house. No Mike was there. The
school assembled Mike came not
At half-past ten the master had giver
up all hope !; at eleven he was in des.
pair. just then the door opened an6
| the truant entered; not alone. Ths
Squire-Squire Tooker himself-helG
his collar. The teachers knees treIn
bled. Had his ambassador been de
| tected. as - 5l1i-- -. =. -, -
~ Give fetched, this here lad,vv sale
the Squire in Q voice husky with rict
living, "fur tu enter complaint
When L was dedicated we used tn bt
teached the. ten commandments
Seems as though you'd left that ther,
off. Near as 1 kin remember, Yol
/ mustn't hook nuthin2 is one of 'em,'
said the Squire. This here boy Nv,
i jest caught up, my apple tree.
caught him there onct last night anC
agin this mornin'. l want him fog
ged." @
i" Mike, Mike, I'm ashamed of you,
said the teacher. Don't you know
better than to steal-steal Squir
Tooker's apple? Oh, Mike - .a.-i
"I didn't," said Mike. f.
/ "Didn't climb the tree ?' a e. ,a
"Not fur tu hook apples-swear
didn't" -.nnfsa 3
q" Mike, said the teacher, "I dom
believe you." ~ z ~
/ "You might" said the boy. "Lool
here, don't lie this time. Don't yo
whip me. / ant a-goin' to put u
with bein' whipped fur truth. l didn
want no apples-I didn't take none.
What else could q boy want in a
apple tree 2" asked the teacher.
i =" Don't you ask" said the boy
"Jest don't whip me, that's ALL" ~.
I But the Squire was looking on
There was an opportunity to pleas
H. IS IL ~
The ruler fell. The Squire watche
: the process admiringly. Mike wa
trounced as he had never been trounC
od hnfnrn.. IVhnr Ahn rrrh;rrns,nffe ffe r,rrn