The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-12-09
MY RUSSEi APPLES.

\ late March twilight, with bitter fros
in the air, the new moon Just dipping it.
golden horn behind the maple swamp in tht
west, and the ground sounding crSply
under foot. We had just come in from
fudderiug the cattle" we" sounds rather
singular when you reflect that it meant
Kitty and me, two girls of seventeen and
nineteen: but you see there wasn't any one
else to do it. Father had been bed ridden
ever since the last attack of paralysis and
could aitold to hire DO one to take his place
about the farm.
Il don't pity those gals" neighboI
Dyson said, They might sell the horse
and COW.
Neighbor Dyson had generously offered
US something less than half price for them,
thinking 10 doubt, that we would be thank
full to jump at the chance. But Kitty and
|, taking the matter into consideration,
thanked him aud declined politely.
1--WE couldn't keep house without old
Mooley, could we, Addy??' said my sister.
There are SO many nice dishes we can
make for poor father if we have plenty of
good rich milk aud cream. And the butter
we should have to buy at neighbor Dyson S
city prices. would go far to counterbalance
the money we should get for Mooley."
AS for the horse" said |, "he eats but
little; and how on earth could we get
around the country, even to the post office,
Such weather as this, if it wasn't for old
. Dobbin, that we had ever since | could
remember
SO it happened that, on this special
March evening, we had Just come in from
attending to the wants of our live stock.
| was in great spirits, playing with
pussy, who came to meet us with her
plump tail erect: but Kitty leaned sadly
against the wooden mantel aud looked into
tie fire with mournful eyes.
kitty" cried |, at last, what makes
You SO dull?"
" Tomorrow is the third Of March, y
said she graytly.
/ What of that ," demanded.
Don't you remember? The interest
on the mortgage comes due tomorrow.
$50 il does" said |. my radiant face
falling faster than the thermometer on a
freezing day: $3.50; and we have nothing
to pay it with except the SD Laura Osgood
paid for the old melodeon.'
Perhaps Willis Avery would watt
suggested Kitty.
drew myself up slightly
Il don't choose to ask him to wait"
/ said |.
/ Now it happened that Willis Avery, who
held the mortgage on our homestead, was
the son of a neighbor and an old playfellow
and boy beau of my own, who had gone to
the prosperous young city, a few miles
north of us, and commenced business Oh
his own account, and | had particular
/ aversion to asking aid or help of him in any
way. l might be poor but l was also
/ proud, and Kitty was quite sympathetic
enough to understand me.
Z" But then, what are We to do" said
Kitty.
/ | sat down on the hearth rug, with my
chin in my hands, and stared earnestly al
! the big cracking back log. Pussy crepr
she knew by instinct that there was a
change of temper allure.
Look here, Kitty l said, suddenly,
"those russell apples
Well"
/ eve can sell them. There are eight
barrels at the least. Eight barrels, at
| $3.50 barrel
! My dear Addy, no one will buy them
at one-tith the price Apples are drug
/ in the market
/ :" Here, | grant you, but not in the city.
/ will take them to Napoleon and sell
them
! "EoG will Addya ~
And why not? Squire Dyson would
! charge at least twenty per cent commission
/ and make a favor of it at that. | cant
afford either the price or the patronage.
! Don say anything about it to father: he
would only fret and raise objections. What
. must NC uone inuSl Ue, ana am lne glIl 10
do it
/ But, Addie, how? All this seems 50
/ perfectly wild and visionary to me-
Well, it needn't; for, believe me, it 5
/ the most practical thing in the world. All
we have to do is To sort the apples out into
/ barrels, nice and sound can easily do il
/ by lantern light to-nght-and tomorrow
morning We'll rise early. harness old Dob
bin to the old lumber wagon
! " But how are We to get the heavy bar
rels into the wagon ?'
"Goosie." cried ], laughing, "can't
put the barrels up into the wagon while
they're empty and ill them at my leisure !:
And I'll have them sold at Napoleon before
you've got the pork and cabbage boiling
for dinner
" But where will you go?" asked Kitty.
"Oh, | know lots of places. | went
once to town with Obadiah FarweatheI
when he sold lot Of cheeses. I've Il pretty
good idea Of the locality of the commission
stores, | can tell you
After all, Addy," hesitated my conser
vative little sister, cit isn't woman )
work"
" WY isn't it, | shonld like to know, S"
long as IA woman can do it At all events.
a woman may pay her debts, SO if you'll
hurry up the tea III be off to the barn
And what shall we tell papa
con, he'll think I've gone to the singing
school with the Dyson girls, and don't
think it is Christian duty to undecelv,
him, answered |.
But notwithstanding the brave face
put upon my Affairs my heart quivered q
little the next day as | drove off TOWARD
Mapleton, with the scarlet stain of snnrise
dyeing all the east, and my own cheek.
flushed with the keen morning air.
But it wasn't SO bad, after all Will
pardonable egotism, supposed that every
one would be staring at me; but, on til,
contrary, a young woman selling apple.