The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-04-09
APPLES.

MadEf: sat in the sunny window sew
ing. Tie needle twinkled in her rapid
fingers. and the scarlet stuff she stitched,
glittering in the sunlight. shed a reflected
iustre on her black hair. her %tintless face,
the bits of coral in her well-set ears. A
high window this. into which the sunlight
streaming iilumcs the sitter-yery high
the topmost in the rambling, jambling,
wheezy old tenement. Madam prefers &c
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
gayly, she can see the tops of the sails and
the sun-lit mAsts of the ships that come
and go at tho whnrves, towards which this
dingy street looks down. The ships bring
wealth and plenty to somebody. Some of
them come from France. All, beautiful
France II is like being a poet, or having
a fine imagination, to own q window one
can see the world out OF.
Should amy one pity Madam or oficiously
offer her sympathy, she will shrug her
shoulders mngniHcently, spread out her
hands and say, What will you " CHANGING
toward her window as though the world
were ut her feet. Has she not her sunshine,
her sewing and her little Fiine, who fits
up and down the ladderlike stairs like \
butterfly 7 Fifne has black eyes and n dane.
ing smile. Fifne is Madam's poem, her
princess; she does not know poverty. They
had been poor in Paris, but Fifne had never
gone hungry; they had wanted many
things in Paris, but Fifne had always her
gay frilled dresses and her tiny polished
slippers. Was not her father n professor
was not her mother q ladyp Should they
then, associate on equal terms with that
degraded and degrading thing called pow.
erty? Nay, indeed it might own the
house, but it should not sit at the board.
1t was poverty that had driven this fami-
- al-.-Aat--l .Ht A. -
Professor Pierre would come here and teach
the people French. 1t was a wide country,
a roomy country, and the people needed
education. Professor Pierre set sail and
died on the passage,
"Ah, but he was a scholar |" saws Mad.
am signing "If he have live" (Madam's
Engliah is not quits 80 perfect rs her
French) I'VE shal by this time have the
little maison champetre, the pretty place in
the country, and the little school, and the
garden which we have talk and dream OF
30 much in Paris. For there is room in
America-ah, so much Of room !"
So says Madam, looking down on tina
crowded, dingy street and the swarming
tenementa.
She looks up smiling from her work, as q
light footstep comes flying along the lad.
der-like stair.
80 come the angles" says Madam,
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 Madam's
scarlet sewing, seems to recognize the
ripe, round fruit, and CLOVIS new having
met it elsewhere in sweet familiar or
chards and OF sunny slopes of far-away
hills.
IAN for you mamma" cries Fihne,
looking down on the. treasure. "And
oh, mamma, he will give me a ride in
the great wagon out to the beautiful
country and the little old mOther!"
Madam's cheeks flush, her eyes scin-
tillate with an angry light.
What is it you say, Fiine? And
who gave you theseP"
But the child only answered breath
lessly and confusedly. The apples were
delicious and Fifne was happy, but
Madam did not like strangers nor
strangers gifts. She sat anxiously ut
the high window next day. looking
down for Fifne as she came from
school.
The street was long and winding, grlmy
md decaying but people swarmed in it us
& life were not undesirable. They throve
q the scents and sound and sitting air;
hey laughed, they chatted, they congrega-
ed in the tumble-down d~oorways, n
ooking their poverty square in the face,
hook hands with it, as it were.
But the street has its pleasures, too, once
o q while, and its pictures; as at this in
tant, when Madame, looking out from
he high window, saw q wagon-load of ap-
lies come jolting along, rudy, shiny and
mellow. A boy in q brimless hat and a
Aue shirt sat in the midst Of the heap, and
I. tall, sunburned young fellow, with trous.
us tucked in his boots, walking alongside,
hand in hand with n child, who danced
.bout him, with her golden hair flying and
ier pretty feet twinkling, as she pointed
up laughing to the far window where Ma.
lam sat.
In one sudden moment she saw the little
,ne caught up, deposited in q half full
,askct, and both, lifted on the young mans
ibouider, disappeared in the house.
Up stairs they came, tramping, laughing.
IN Fiine, eager, joyful and breathless, was
deposited at the door.
oh, maman," she cried, clapping her
lands, soc what we have brought you /,
And here is Monsieur Jack !"
Outside, abashed, blushing, stood tn
roung man with his basket, Madam appea
ng on the threshold put him to utter COZ.
:usion. She had the bearing of a due!
What will your" queried she, hang.
lily.
Excuse me, ma'am, " was the stammer-
ng reply, as the intruder dotted his grea
straw hat. ~ mean-I did not mean
that is, ! promised the little one n ride"
And :" said Madam, sternly
And" answered the youth, gatherira
ip courage, his honest kindly eye LOOKING
traight into hers, "she needs a it'll
:hange, a ride would not harm her, Mad
.m."
1T is a liberty objectionable. In MI
country it is not known that a yender-
/ street vender-wil intrude himself ON .
l lady's apartment. People know their
place and"
II beg your pardon, Madam. You arc
right" interrupted the stranger, his check
Gushing holly. But this is America, no.
Paris. Good-day."
He was gone. The place was blank and
iesolate. The apples lay on the floor. The
sunlight had faded from the window.
Fifne set up a frightful cry of d~isappoint-
All no ride, no pleasure, no delight,
n prospect.
She did not go dancing off to school next