The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-06-24
back a little to look at the effect,

Clark smiled, and MI. Castor went
To work at his law cases. But some
thing was the matter with him. His
thoughts would go wandering off to
the green meadow by the side of the
river where Clark told him he had
broken the fragrant, branch.
ii wonder" he soliloquized, ''if il
is any thing like that meadow wher'
apshaw! what am L thinking or
In acase of ejectment-wonder II
could sing Annie Laurie used
know that tune" And he hummc
softly to himself;
"Gave rae her promise true
Just as the door was thrown violent
ly open and John Edison, the mos&
'quarrelsome man in New York, as
his friends and enemies both agreed,
burst in l4.45. y
"Whats the matter now, Mr.. Ed
son?" asked Mr.. Castor, rising to
offer his client seat.
Matter? Matter enough, sir. But
if he thinks N going to submit to
be rebbedsbg his knAvery he'll find
himself very much mistaken! MY
brother, sir, my own brother-think
of that lis trying to cheat me out OF
my share of our paternal property.
l want you to take steps Immediate
ly. to stop his proceedings. He
threatens to bring in Il bill against
the estate that will swallow up every
cent-but what's that? Apple bios
SONS. Where did you get them'
"Mr. Clark brought them down
this morning. Sweet, though rather
ont of place in lawyers Office, don t
you think"
II don't know" said Mr. Edison,
thoughtfully, taking up the tnmbler
and smelling the fragrant things.
Where did these grow?'
'Upin a little country village in
Connecticut. Clark is from the
country, you know, and | should
think from his description its quite a
pretty place. Green meadows and
river, you know, all that sort of
rthing But what do you want me
to do?'
"Wait minute, can't you" said
Mr.. Edison, impatiently. "You law
yers are in such tearing hurry
Mr.. Castor raised his eyebrows
but made no verbal answer to this
rather inconsistent remark, while
Mr.. Edison leaned back in his chair
and'looked at the apple blossoms.
In minute he started up and brush
ed his hand across his eyes.
1T makes me think of old times"
he said. II nearly broke my neck
once climbing an old apple-tree for
blossoms like those to give to Lucy
Baird, the prettiest girl in school. l
fell from the top branch, and my
brother, never had but one, picked
me up and carried me home. He was
real good to me all the long time |
was sick, too. l think he'd have
diet for me then, an just t. think
that now we should be quarrsling
| over a few hundred dollars! Castor,
von needn't d. anything about tais
matter-just yet, at least. IL
guess I'll 90 to see hun. and say
rather shyly-"you couldn't spare
me little twig with few of those
blossoms on it, could your
Mr.. Castor willingly broke off a
branch and handed it to him, but he
watched Mr.. Edson's departure with
comical smile on his face.
"Those apple blossoms are doing
sad work in this Office" he said
laughingly to Clark. 'Tve lost one
case through them already, and as
for keeping my mind on anything
legal it's an utter impossibility. It's
quite evident to my mind that law
and flowers were never meant to go
together. 1 think I'll take them
home to my wife before they do any
more mischief"
But as he turned to go out Of the
office door he saw the office boy eye
ing his bunch wistfully.
''Here, John, would you like a
spray?" he asked kindly, and with
out waiting for the eager answer he
saw on the boys lips he tossed him
one. Then he ran down the office
steps humming again the tune that
had haunted him that morning. He
looked so pleasant as he stood at
the street corner waiting for his car
that ragged little girl who saw
him ventured to ask:
."Please, mister, what is them po-
sies?"
"Apple blossoms.
"Does they grow on the trees that
has apples on?"
yes"
"Oh, my! wouldn't like to see
'em once! Say, mister, would ye give
me little one?'
"Yes. Here child" breaking of
another little branch and giving it
to her. He watched her from the
car window take off her old hat and
stow away her treasure in that, and
then, clasping it close to her breast
set off on run down toward the
lower part of the city.
when he reached home and gave
the branch to his wife her faded
peevish face relaxed into smile
that was almost sweet as she took
them.
"Apple blossoms she said. "How
beautiful they are! Do you rclnem
Der, Daniel, the apple blossoms thai
we gathered thirty years ago? ant
in another minute he and she to-
) gether were recalling old times ant
associations, until the years that ia,
between their apple blossom times
and now nad dropped away, and tl'
light and glory Of past days onc'
more shed itself upon the gray hairs
of the husband and the faded cheel
of the wife. Z
The ragged little girl meanwhile
ran ON for quite little way till sh'
came to one of those narrow, filth,
courts crowded with tenement hous
, es.and stealning with horrible odor'
. in the warm May sunshine. Sh'
entered one of these tenement hous
es and ran lightly up the steps t.
her especial domain, httie room