Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-02-13
Maiseellansons. g
Story Of q Courtship.

Come come," said Mrs. GRAY,
''you have been moping there long
enough, nephew, forgetting manners
and everything else. Here are the
apples waiting, and no one to hand
them around, for when | once get set
tied in an easy chair"-here the good
woman gave smiling survey of her
ample person, which certainly over
flowed the chair at every point, leaving
the back and curving arms quite invis-
ibie--''it isn't very easy thing to get
up again. Now hustle about, and
while we old women rest ourselves,
you and Julia, here, can try your luck
with the apple seeds.
II remember the first time | ever
surmlsed that Mr.. Gray had taken
notion was once when we were on an
apple-cutting together Gown in Maine.
Somehow Mr.. Gray had got in my
neighhorhood when we ranged round
the great basket of apples. | felt my
cheeks burn the moment he drew his
seat 50 close to mine. and took out his
jack-knite to begin work. He pared
| and | quartered. | never looked up
but once-then his cheek was redder
than mine, and he held the lack knife
terribly unsteady. By-an-by he got
noble, great apple, yellow as gold.
and smooth AS baby's cheek. was
looking at his hand sde-wise from un-
der my eyc-ashes. and saw that he
was pairing it carefully, as ii every
round of the skin was strip of gold.
AT last he cut it off at the seed end.
and the soft rings fell down over his
wrists as | took the apples from his
fingers.
" Now, said he in a whisper, bend
ing his mead little, and raising the
apple-pecl carefully with his right
hand. Il am rs sure this vii! be the
first letter of the name | love, as lam
that we are alive He began swiftly
whlrling the appe-peel ronnd his head
the company were all busy with one
another, and was the only person
who saw the yellow links quivering
round his head, once, twice, three
times.
Then he held it still moment, ani
sat hooking right into my eyes. held
my breath and SO did he.
Now, said he, and his breath
came out with a quiver, what if it
should be your name:'
Il did not answer, and We both look
ed back at the same time. Sure
enough it was the letter ). No pen
ever made one more beautiful just
as expected says he, and his eyes
were bright as diamonds, Just as eX.
pectcd.' That was all he said
And what answer did you make
him, aunt" asked Robert Otis, who
had been listening with u flushed
face
What dill YOU say
| didn't speak a word but quartered
on As fast as could. As for Mr..
Gray. he kept pairing like all possessed.
| thought be would never stop pairing
or speak a word more. By-and-by he
stuck the point of his knife into an
apple, and unwindng the skin from it
he handed it to me.
~ shouldn't bit wonder if that
dropped into letter G. says Mr..
Gray. Suppose you try it,
well, l took the red apple-skin,
and whirled it three times around my
head, and down it went on the floor,
curled up into the incest capital G
that you ever set your eyes on.
"Mr. Gray, he looked at the letter,
and then sort Of sideways into my
face. IS, G. says he, taking up the
apple-skin and eating it as if it had
been the first mouthful of Thanks
giving dinner. How would you like
to see them two letters on bran new
set Of silver teaspoons
81 really believe you could have lit
a candle in my face, it burnt so; but
couldn't speak more than if had been
born tongue-tied."
''But did you never answer about
the spoons" asked Julia.
"Well, yes, l believe l did, the next
Sunday night" said the old lady de-
murely smoothing her apron.