Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-09-07
APPLES.

Madam sat in the sunny window sew
ing. The needle twinkled in her rapid
fingers, and the scarlet stuff she stitched,
glittering in the sunlight, shed reflect
ed luster on her black hair, her tintless
face, the bits of coral in herwell.set ears.
A high window this, into which the
sunlight streaming illumines the sitter
very high-tbe topmost in the rambling,
jambling, wheezy old tenement.
= Madam prefers to be on the top story,
she says. One is there away from the
dust and noise of the street. Also, it
costs less. Also, she will tell you gay.
ly, she can see the tops of the sails, and
the sun-lit masts of the ships that come
and go at the wharves, toward which this
dingy street looks down. The ships
bring wealth and plenty to somebody.
Some of them come from France. All,
beautiful France! 1t is like being poet
or having fine imagination, to own a
window one can see the world out of.
Should anyone pity madam or Off
cially offer her sympathy, she will shFug
her shoulders magnificently, spread out
. her hands, and say: "What will youY"
glancing toward her window as though
the world were at her feet Has she not
her sunshine, her sewing, and her little
Fifine, who fits up and down the ladder
like stairs like butterfly? Fiine has
black eyes and dancing smile. Fifine
is madam's poem, her princess; she does
not know poverty. They had been poor
in Paris, but Fiine had never gone
hungry; they wanted many things in
Paris, but Fifine had always her gay
frilled dresses and her tiny polished slip
pcrs. Was not her father professor?
was mother mother lady? Should they,
then, associate on equal terms with that
degraded and degrading thing called
povertyS Nay, indeed it might own the
house, but it should not sit at the board.
1t was poverty that had driven this
family, thoughtlessly thoughtful, to Amer
lea. Prof. Pierre would come here and
teach the people French. 1t was wide
country, roomy country, and the peo-
pie needed education. Prof. Pierre set
sail and died on the passage.
+" All, but he was scholar" says mad
am, signing. "If he have live" (mad-
ANS English is not quite so perfect as
her French), "we shall by this time have
the little mGisOn ehampetre, the pretty
place in the country, and the little school,
and the garden which we have talk and
dream of so much in Paris. For there is
of room in America-ah, so much of
roOmp
So says madam, looking down on the
crowded, dingy street and the. .swarming
senements.
She looks up, smiling from her work,
as light footstep comes flying along the
ladder-like stair.
So come the angels!" said madam,
devoutly, as Fifine dances in. She has
her tiny apron full of red apples, which
tumble out and rollupon the floor. The
sunshine, cleaning on madam's scarlet
sewing, seems to recognize the ripe round
fruit, and glows anew as having met it
elsewhere in sweet familiar orchards and
on sunny slopes of far-away hills.
''All for you, maman," cries Fifne,
looking down ON the treasure. "And
oh! manan, he will give me a ride in the
great wagon out to the beautiful coun-
try and the little old mother !"
Madam's cheeks flush, her eyes scin-
tillate with an angry light.
"What is it you say, FifneH And who
gave you these?"
But the child only answered breath
lessly and confusedly. The apples were
delicious, and Fifne was happy, but
madam did not like strangers OF stran-
gers gifts. She sat anxiously at the high
window next day, looking down for FL
fine as she came from school.
The street was long and winding,
grimy and decaying; but people swarmed
in it as If life was not undesirable. They
throve in the scents and sounds and sti-
fling air; they laughed, they chatted,
they cOngregated in the tumble-down
dOOrwaYs; and, looking their poverty
square in the face, shook hands with it,
as it were.
But the street had its pleasures, too,
once in a while, and its pictures. AS at
this instant, when madam, looking down
from the high window, saw wagon-load
of apples come jolting along, ruddy,
shining, and mellow. A boy in brim-
less hat and blue shirt sat in the midst
OF the heap, and a tall, sunburned young
fellow, with trousers tucked in his boots,
walked alongside, hand in hand with
child, who danced about him, with her
golden hair flying and her pretty feet
twinkling,as she pointed up, laughing, TO
the far window where madam sat.
In one sudden moment she saw the lit
tie one caught up, deposited in half
full basket, and both, lifted on the young
mans shoulder, disappeared in the house.
upstairs they came, tramping, laugh
ing, and Fifne, eager joyful, and breath
less, twas deposited at the door.
90, mamanI" she cried, clapping her
hands, see what we have brought youl
And here Is Monsieur Jack"
Outside, abashed, blushing, stood the
young man with the basket. Madam
appearing on the threshold put him to
utter confusj0D. She had-t the bearing of
q duchess. ft-
"whss win your" queried she, haugh.
lilly. -,
Excuse me, ma'am," was the STAN
mering reply, as the intruder doffed his
great Straw, hat % j mean-I did not
mean that is, ] promised the little one
. ride, ~ .s's .,t..- -t.4ft
"Andft said madam sternly.
sAnd !" answered the youth, gathering
PIP courage, his honest, kindly eyes look
ing straight into hers, "she needs a lit
Y % chang shsngssi ride would not harm her,
" IL is liberty objectionable. In my
country y y not known that vendor-a
gifle veudQr -Will intrude himself on a
lady's apartment. People know their
place, and"
:" beg your pardon, madam, You are