Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-06-21
The Old Apple. Woman.

many year, kept an apple-stand near the
margin of that famous frog pond on Boston
Common. She was little, and she was old,
and | do think about as ugly as any woman
who has lived since the birth Of Eve-the
first Of apple-women but she loved and
served her country, aud 30, in spite OF her
uginess, feel bound 10 give her hmf
dozen pages Of history.
At hrst she served II by vending green
APPLES and striped sticks of stomachache to
the hungry LAWYERS and ragged urchns who
congregate about Court Square and at this
time was mistress Of peripatetic shop
huge willow basket going about on two
legs aud open at the top, except in rainy
weather, when it was rooted in by a big cot
ton umbrella.
| She was mcagre anatomy, with sharp
nose. a sunken chin aud a hatchet face, Gov
| cred all over 10y a shriyelled skin of the pre-
| else complexion Of peeled potato. la win
/ ter She wore a faded hood, blanket shawl
and wooden gown-short enough TO show
| a pair of corrugated stockings, far winter
/ than the snow in the streets of Boston. In
summer she was clad in dimity cap, a
| calico fiock and a cotton bandana, pinned
closely over her bosom but. summer and
winter. she was always elongated by pair
of stout brogans, with high heels and thick
soles-thick enough, one would say, to be i'm
peryions to all the moisture that human feet
are heir to. But they were not imperyious
to the rheumatism. That, one day, got into
the legs of the old'womans apple-basket,
and forced her to shut up her peripatetic
shop, and TO open one OF less rowing char
acter.
Then she pitched her tent upon the Com
mon or, more literally, she planted there q
three-legged stool, the big umbrella, and a
rough pine table, heaped high with russets
pippins and gilly-howers, which she was
ready to dispense to all comers, at the rate
Of one cent Tor one, aud half dime for hall
a dozen-so several paper pacards floating
like flags of truce, from as many golden pip
pins, told all and singular who frequentec
the Common.
Business here throve with the old woman
for. in pleasant weather, the Common is ;
great resort for young couples, who bill anC
COO under the spreading elms, or on the iron
clad benches. There Is no telling the quan
tity of stomach-ache and cholera-morbus tina
the old woman daily dispensed TO hungry Low
ers but it must have been large, since it wa
often noticed that, however high her tabl'
was heaped in the morning. 1t was always low
down at night, when, with her basket on he
/ arm, she ambled homeward.
One evening gentleman passing tina
: way, lust at dark, found the table almost un
touched, and the old woman in great dea
of trouble. 1t had rained all day, and few
lovers had come upon the Common so, will
apples and clothes weeping in sympathy witt
+ her sorrow, she sat there with no one TO hel
| her home with her basket.
1t is said that evil loves the dark but
is quite as true that many good things avoi'
the daylight. Others eyes are then open
and the fear Of what men say p" often send
. ms sneaking by on the other side, like tn
priest and the leyite in the parable. Bu
now it was dark; so the gentleman shou
dered the apple-basket and went home wit
! the woman. She lived in a small room, o
the top floor Of an old rickety house at th
North End and as he went up the stair
> the gentleman was in mortal fear OF tuml
, ling down, and spillmg both him and the al
= pies. At last, however, he reached the room
setting down the basket, he sat himself dow
{, to rest his tired legs and shoulders 1t wa
u a narrow, mean apartment, and so low tha
= when he stood upright, his head almo'
} touched the ceiling. Two young children
a a boy and girl, who were spreading the t
Il BILE for the evening meal, and thin, emi
n ciated woman, with sunken eyes and palli
II features. who was lying on bed in the co
+ uer. were its occupants. The floor was bar
5 the furniture plain and poor, aud everythin
> indicated that its tenants lived ON the vel
81 verge of starvation; hut on all their fac
X was cheerful look that showed that the
T. imbibed of that divine elixir which gives
{, the most wretched comfort and contentmef
III Curious to get at the secret of their hapI
n, ness. the stranger asked the old woman abo
~ her history.
IL Twenty years before, she said, her tv
le sons and her husband had died, leaving h
~ destitute and alone, with one renainlf
IL child-a little daughter. Too weak to wor
III and unwilling TO beg, she then resorted
~ street vending and, by twelve hours OF dai
toll, managed to support herself and briI
M her daughter At twenty, the latter mt
ried a worthless fellow, who broke her hea
ot and then cast her penniless upon the wor
We with Young son, the little boy who was Tn
ey setting the table. The old woman took the
ut in. and about this time also, adopted the J
op tie girl, who was the orphan child OF po
". neighbor.
nd And were YOU able to support them
fe, by vending apples asked the gentlelna
ry " No, sin" she answered. " tried TO !
he could't My darter was sick, and could
an do nothing, and we soon got into debt twer
ps dollars. Then, as if TO make bad worse
as was taken down with the rheumatios. !
IRE down with them Il fortnight and whel
ZEN got up couldn't get round like could aio
he so, not KNOWN what 10 do, went with
he basket ON TO a bench, nigh the Frog POI
he Folks came TO me amazn' that day ana
ne, night had two dollars clean profit. The
,ut saw the Lords hand lie knowed could
for make livin' going round, so lie gave me
his rheumatcs, to show me it was best to ope
Ter stand on the Common
Mt And since then have you made b'
in ends meet 2"
icy Z" Yes, sir since then I've been prosper
zen wonderful I've paid OFF the debt, and n
Tie when | want TO ! can lay in stock OF
'ou dollars, aud that, you know, brings apl
ay, cheaper m
,ou " But have you no fear for winter p
,ne A." No, sir. It's two months of; | {
make thirty dollars afore il comes, and I'll
with what sewing and washing can do
take us round to warm
,rl, "And how old are you ?" asked the g
he tleman, looking at her furrowed face q
es white hairs, which seemed to say eentu
,,s "Seventy next Christmas. But ye would
oir think il 10 look at me. ! feel almost
ra. pert AS when | was thirty"
not "And at your age, and in such poverty
,"r YOU always look hopefully at the future 2
o,y "Yes, Sir. The Lord is my Shepherd
nav shall not want. lie makcth me TO lie do
q y in green pastures. lie leadeth me bes
ms still waters
u The stranger looked at her with reyer
n a wonder, lie had heard those words bef'
al but now they had to him a new sound an
,oJ new meaning. All at one it dawned NJ
. ,an him that "1he poor are blessed, becaus,
~" .i..r f.tth. u,htcI ~ itcalf il the ~ l.