The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-12-19
Romance Of an Apple Stand.

"Jennie june" writing from New
York to the Baltimore American, tells
this romantic little story OF one of the
innumerable fruit stands sprinkled all
over Gotham
There is an apple-stand on corner
near Fourteenth street, which has been
presided over for many years by an old
man, a philosopher in his way, who re-
Gently grew rheumatic and retired on
his savings. which, Notwithstanding his
constant grumbling at the prices he was
oil Ii yed to pay and the small profits he
had to put up with, must have been
considerable.
His successor was an English woman,
neat, quiet, reserved and with certain
refinement of appearance and manner
which would strike even the most casual
observer, and with precision and cor
rectness of speech very different from
the ordinary type of applewomen. Her
reticence and her lady-like manner
served effectually to check questioning,
which must have savored of imperti-
nence and 30 she remained in her
place, behind her stall, selling her
apples, week after week, in all kinds of
weather, for a number of months, until
finally she disappeared. Two weeks ago
her place was taken by two little girls,
eight and eleven years of age-little
women both, quiet, neat, gentle, refined
In speech and manner just like their
mother, and with the same reserve and
self possession. Black cloth English
walkiDg-iackets were buttoned closely
over their dark stuff dresses, and their
shy eyes and timid manner seemed only
vail to unusual decision and an almost
painful maturity of character.
One year ago these little girls lived
with their father and mother, the former
a working mechanic in small town in
England. The man became uneasy and
dissatisfied, collected his small savings,
sold out their household furniture, and
with the proceeds, to his wife's infinite
sorrow and regret, brought the family to
New York. Here he left them to try
and find employment The woman took
a small room, an attic, for herself and
children, removing them from the lodg.
ing-house in which they had first found
refuge she sold her wedding ring and
set of iewelry left her by her mother,
and consisting of an old-fashioned brooch
and earrings of some value, to purchase
the good will and stock in trade of the
apple-stand, by which she hoped to live
until her husband returned. Exposure
soon killed her, aided by want of proper
treatment and medicine. The two little
English girls now occupy the attic
alone at night when they return from
the corner of the street, which is the
scene of their daily labors. They keep
it anxiously neat and clean, as nearly
as possible as their mother kept it.
They are only waiting with that pitiful
patience which belongs to the well-to-do
poor when great misfortunes overtake
them, uttering no word of rebellion,
finding their only relief and consolation
in the industrious discharge of every
little duty. Their father does not know
of the death of their mother. They do
not know where to write to him, nor
perhaps does it matter much if he never
returns to them. They will in some
way work out an honest future for them
selves, to which, perhaps, he would only
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