St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-06-30
The Old Apple-Woman A
4 HEMINI>CENCE OF BOSTON COMM,

AHe Olu Apple w oman.
....
"r"i - MI or BOSTON COMMON
here was once little old woman
VINO. III ram or SHINE. week III and week
out Tor many Il year. kept an apple
stand near the margin of that famous
frog pond on Boston Common. She
WAS llttlt. and she WaS old. and ! dc
think ahout a> ugly as any woman who
has lived since the birth of ENe-the
iIr>t OF applc-WonIen but she loved
ana served her country. and 81. III spite
"f itl llglIhc>S, feel bound t" give her
h;ili Il dozen pages OF history.
AT ilrst she served 1t hy vending
green apples and striped sticks of
stomach h-achc t" the hungry lawyers
and ragged urchin> VIII" c"mgIegate
ah"nt Court square; and at this time
WAS mistress of pclipatttic shop Il huge
willow basket. going about on tw" legs
and open at the top. except i'll rainy
weather. when 1t WIS rooted III 10y Il big
cotton umbrella.
She was Il meagrr anatomy. with Il
sharp nose. Il >rInktn chin, and a hatchet
face. covered all over 10y Shrivelled
skin "t the prcrI>" complexion of Il
peeled potato. In winter she wore a
faded hood. Il blanket shawl, and Il
w""en gown short enough Ia show Il
pain Of corrugated stockings. far winter
than the Sn"N III the streets of Boston.
In summer she was clad III Il dimity
cap. Il calico frock. and cotton ban
dana. pinned closely over her bosom :
hut. summer and winter. she was al
ways elongated 10y par OF stout bro
gan>. with high heels and thick S"leS
thick en"ugh. one would say. +" he I'M
prrvl"uS t" all the moisture that human
feet are heir to. But they were not
ImprrNI"uS t" the rheumatism. That.
one DAY, g"t mt" the legs "f the OLD
woman apple basket ana forced her
I" SHUT up htr Perlpatetlc shop. and I"
open one "t less rowing character.
Then She pitched her tent upon the
Common or. more literally. she planted
there Il three-le"%rd stool. the Ing UNI
hrtila. ana Il rough pine table. heared
h'eh with rnSs"tS. plpplnS and gIllN-
n""tr>. Wml'h Sh" was ready t" dis
peh>r I" AT r"htlS. al me rate "f one
cent Tor one ana t'iil' dlnie inr hali Il
dozen 50 several paper pIhcardS, float
ing Ink" fagS at truce. from as many
golden plpplns. t"ld all and singular
WI" fieqhchtth thc common.
hhsin'>s mere thi"Nr WIN the old
woman I"r' III pIraSah' weather, the
common i il great resort Tor Young
couples. VINO hIll ana Coo under the
spreading GINS or on the Ir"n-rlad
hehcheS. lhtie Is II" TENN" me qnan-
titN OF Stnmach-ache ana ch"lera-m"r-
bus that the old woman daily dispensed
T." hungry lovers: hnt 1t must have
been large. since II was often noticed
thrt, however high her table was heaped
III the morning. 1t was always low down
at night. when. with her basket on her
arm. she amhlcd hemeward.
One evening gentleman passing that
way. just at dark. found the table al
most untouched, and the old woman in
Il great deal of trouble. II had rained
all dav. and few lovers had come upon
the Common 50. with apples and
clothes weeping in sympathy with hcl
sorrow. she sat there with no one ia
help her home with her basket.
1t is said that evil loves the dark
hut it is unite as true that many good
things avoid the daylight. Others ewes
are then open, and the fear of What
..men say" often sends us sneaking hv
on the other side. like the priest and
the lcvite i'm the parable. Bnt now il
WAS dark so the gentleman sbouldered
tbe annie basket and went home wifi
tbe woman. She lived in = small room.
on tbe ton floor of an old ricketv housf
nt the North End: and rs he Went mn
the stairs. the gentleman was in marital
fear of tumbiiup down and snillino
both him and the apples. Ar last how
ever, he reached the room . settino
down the basket. he SAT himself down
to rest his tired lens and shoulders II
was narrow. mean apartmenl. and 81
low that when he steod upright. his