The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-08-27
SELECT STORY.
MY RUSSET APPLES.


\ late March twilight, with bitter
frost in the air, the new moon just dip
ping its golden horn behind the maple
swamp in the West, and the ground
sounding crisply under foot. We ha(
just come in from foddering the cattle
we sounds rather singularly when yor
reflect that it means Kitty and I. two
girls of seventeen and nineteen: but you
see there wasn't any one else to do it
Father had been bedridden ever since
that last attack OF paralysis. and W,
could afford to hire no man to take his
place on the farm.
Il don't pity them gals, neighbol
Dyson said. They might sell the horse
and cow"
Neighbor Dyson had generously offer
ed us something less than half price fol
them. thinking. no doubt, that we would
be thankful to jump at the chance. But
Kitty and !, taking the matter into con,
sideration, thanked him and declined
politely.
We couldn't keep house without old
Mooley, could we, Add:H said my sister
There are so many nice dishes we cal
make for poor father if we have plenty
of good rich cream and milk. And the
butter that we should have to buy al
Neighbor Dyson's city prices, would &C
far to counterbalance the money we
should get for Mooley.''
AS for the horse" said 7. "he eats
but little; and how should we get around
the country, even to the post office, such
weather as this, if it wash for old Dob.
bin, that we had ever since | could re-
member.
So it happened that, on this special
March evening, We had just come in
from attendin. to the wants of our live
stock.
| was in great spirits, playing with
pussy, who came to meet us with her tail
erect; but Kitty leaned sadly against the
wooden mantle and looked into the fire
with mournful eyes.
Kitty cried |, at last, "what makes
you SO dull?H
"To-morrow is the third of March,
said she gravcly.
" What of that ~ | demanded.
Don't you remember? The interest
on the mortgage comes due tomorrow.
$50 it does. said |, my radiant face
falling faster than the thermometer on a
freezing day; ''$36, and we have nothing
to pay it with except the $15 Laura Os,
good paid for the old melodion."
Perhaps Willis Avery would wait,
suggested Kitty.
| drew myself up slightly.
81 don't choose to ask him to wait, y
said |.
Now it happened that Willis Avery,
who held the mortgage on our homestead.
was the son of neighbor and an old
play fellow and boy beau of my own,
who had gone to the prosperous city a
few miles north Of us and commenced
business ON his own account, and had a
particular aversion of asking aid or hell
of him in any way. might be poor but
| was proud, and Kitty was quite SYM
pathetic enough to understand me.
but then what are we to do?''
| sat down on the hearth rug with my
chin in my hands, and stared earnestly
at the big cracking back log. Pussy
crept away and knelt down in the corner,
as if she know by instinct there was a
change Of temperature.
Look here, Kitty" l said suddenly,
"those russell apples
"Wea"
I'VE can sell them. There are eight
barrels; $3.50 a barrel
My dear Addy, no one will buy them
at one-tifth the price. Apples are drug
in the market
Here, | grant you, but not in the
city. [ will take them to Mapleton and
sell them
"You will, Addy?'
And why not? Squire Dyson would
charge at least 90 per cent commission
and make a favor of it at that | can
afford either the price or the patronage.
Don't say anything about it to father
he would only fret aud raise objections.
What must be done must be, and am
the girl to do it.
But. Addy, how: All this seems ST
perfectly wild and visionary to me-
"Well, it needn't: for believe me, it
is the most practical thing in the world.
All you have to do is to sort the apples
out into barrels, nice and sound-I can
easily do it by lantern light tonight
and tomorrow morning we'll rise early,
harness old Dobbin to the lumber wagon
and
but how are we to get the heavy bar.
rcls up into the wagon
"Goosie!' cried | laughing, "can't |
put the barrels up into the wagon while
they'r re empty and fill them at my leisure:
And I'll have them sold at Mapleton be-
fore you've got the pork and cabbage
boiled for dinner
but where will you goo' asked Kitty
"Oh, | know lots of places. | went
once to town with Obadiah Fairweathel
when lie sold Il lot of cheeses. | have Il
pretty good idea of the locality OF the
commission stores, can tell you
After all, Addy," hesitated my con,
sentative little sister, lit isn't woman S
work.
why isn't it, should like to know,
as long as Il woman can do it? At all
events, woman may pay her debts, SO il
you'll hurry up the tea I'll be off to the
barn
"And what shall we tell papa >"
"Oh, he'll think Eve gone to singing
school with the Dyson girls. and don't
think it is Christian duty to undcceive
him, answered |.
But notwithstanding the brave face |
put upon my affairs. my hnart quivered
n littla tbn payt I,y, ,l,nyo off