The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-09-06
APPLES.

ing. The needle twinkled in her rapid
fingers, "nd the scarlet stuff she stitched,
glittcring i'll the sunlight, shed re.
tlected luster on her black hair, her
tiptless face, the bits of coral in her
well-set cars.
Madame 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 gaily,
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. Ali.
beautiful France 1t is like being a
poet, or having fine imagination, to
own window one can see the world
out of.
Should any one pity madame OF
officiously offer her sympathy, she will
shrug her shoulders magnificentlv.
spread ont her hands, and say "What
will you?" glaucing toward her window
as though the world were ut her feet
Has she not her sunshine, her sewing.
and her little Fifine, who fits up and
down the ladder like stairs like butter
fly? Fifne has black eyes and dane
ing smile. Fifne is madame's poem.
her princess; she does not know poverty
They had been Door in Paris, but Fifine
had never gone hungry; they had wanted
many things in Paris, but Fifine had al
ways her gay frilles dresses and her tiny
polished slippers. Was not her father
professor was not her mother lady?
Should they. then, associate on equal
ifl, fbnt Il l,l
thing called poverty? 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
America. Professor Pierre would come
here and teach the people French. 1t
was wide country, a roomy country,
and the people needed education. Pro-
fessor Pierre set sail, and died on the
passage.
"Ah, but he was scholar p says
Madame, signing. eff he have live"
(madame's English is not quite SO per-
feet as her French) eve shall by this
time have the little naaison chanpetre,
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 room in America-ah, SO
much of room p
She looks up, smiling, from her work,
as light footstep comes flying along the
ladder-like stair.
$50 come the angles I" says madame,
devoutly, as Fifine dances in. She has
her tiny apron full of red apples, which
tumble out and roll upon the floor. The
sunshine, cleaning on madame'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 Fifine,
looking down on the treasure. "And
oh, maman, he will give me a ride in the
great wagon out to the beautiful country
and the little old mother %
Madame's cheeks flush, her eyes scin-
tillate with an angry light.
What is it you say, Fifne? And
who gave you these %
But the child only answered breath
lessly and confusedly. The apples were
delicious, and Fifine was happy, but
madame did not like strangers nor
strangers gifts. She sat anxiously at
the high window next day, looking down
for Fifine 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 stiff
ing air; they laughed, they chatted, they
congregated in the tumble-down door
ways; and looked their poverty square
in the face, shook hands with it, as it
were.
But the street had it's pleasures too,
once in awhile, and it's pictures. AS at
this instant, when madame, looking down
from the high window, saw wagon-load
of apples come jolting along, ruddy,
shining and mellow. A boy in brimless
hat and blue shirt sat in the midst of
the heap, and tall, sunburned young
fellow, with trousers tucked in his boots, |
walked alongside, hand in hand with a |
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 madame sat.
In one sudden moment she saw the |
little one caught up, deposited in half
full basket, and both, lifted on the Young
mans shoulder, disappeared in the
house.
Up stairs they came, tramping, laugh
ing and Fifine, eager, joyful and breath.
less, was deposited at the door.
"Oh, mamma % she cried, elappine
her hands, see what we have brought |
you And here is Monsieur Jack"
Outside, abashed, blushing, stood the
oung man with the basket. Madam