Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-01-27
Gales arlo Skettbes.
THE APPLE BEE.

did ever tell y~u about Ras.us marry
ing Judge RaDdolph's daughter" asked
grandmother as munched an apple and
she sat knitting in her higb-backed
rocker.
why. no. said !, fancying I saw a
story in her retrospective gaze, ''you have
told me about Thant ful and your mother
and your own court.hip, grandmother. but
OF Rastus's, never"
well, I'll tell you abont it. Seeing
you eating hat apple reminded me Of it.
and, besides to-day is the sixteenth Of
November; Rastus's birthday came the
seventeenth. and remember it was the
the day before, and almost exactly such a
day as this seventy years ago. that ! was
visiting them while Alex tended General
Court. Rastus was showing me his'free-
dom suit. he'd be twenty one next day,
when mother came down from the garrett
with tray Of apples. looking vexed
enough.
"Apples keeping well ?" / asked.
No. they must have got little tecbed
by the frost before they were gathered.
There'c one whole bin beginning to rot
already. and haven't no time to pare EN-,
Mehitable's being sick.
MehitabIe was an old maid that helped
mother about the house.
why don't YOU have a bee - ! asked !;
for 70 tell the truth | wanted 10 see the
Young folks. my old mates, you know.
and show them my baby, for thought he
was the prcttiest and the smartest child
that ever was. That was your uncle
William. dear. BESIDES Square Doolii,le's
niece. Mistress Randolph, was visiting
them from Virginnv while her father was
away in England. and | thought maybe
she would come. I'd heard a great deal
about her. but hadn't seen her. though
she had been visiting at the Square, then
for six months. or 50 !; 40 ! says, ''have a
bee"
:" a bcc'' spoke up mother. well,
now, never thought oi that. I'm glad.
Rusha, that you spoke of il. What do
you say. Rastus? They are nothing dread
full
Let 'em rot said he throwing down
an aimful of wood with n crash He left
the room after il. when | first spoke OF
the bee, and how he Strengthened up and
looked so fierce at mother that spoke up
quick rs could be:
II should think YOU would be ashamed
to speak to your mother
Mother don't mind what Rastus says.
said he going up 10 her and patting her
on her shoulder. and he smiled ut her in
such tender way that | wondered rs
always did. why he was so chanSable :;
quick. but loving. NOBODY minded what
Rastus said. that's true. but everybody
liked him; mother set more by him than
all the rest Of us children. so we thought,
but she said she never knew any differ
ence. only he was her buby.
Lets have the bee. I'm twenty-one
tomorrow. 60. if we have it then we can
call il birthday party. I'll kill goose
and the white turkey that's been shut up
so long aud Wen have a real frolic Shall
invite Miss Randolph. mothcr?''
Why of course. it wouldn't do to slight
the Sqiiirc's folks"
That's So She'd feel hurt. no doubt.
not to have chance To soil her pretty
whistling. but he didn't look so happy as
he tried Ia seem. | could see that he
didn't more than half want the party.
What does he mean. mother Is Mis-
tress Randolph very proud ?'
Why says mother. in n doubtful
way. "thev say so. but took tea Mt the
Squire's spell ago, and she was very
helpful and CHEEKY. She didn't seem
proud to me, but she amt like Mandy
Smith"
II should hope not, mother"
Nor vet like YOU. Jerusha. nor Thank
full or Keturah. think it's way she
has
"Almira Bean rode up just then on her
white horse. She hitched and came in to
see me and my baby. and while | was
showing him off. mother spoke of the APP
pie bee and she mentioned that she had
calculated to invit" as tar rs Squire Doc
Titles
1.-The land sake. You don't mean. Wall.
now. never did" says she.
What's there so dreadful about having
an apple pairing" said |, they are com
mon enough"
"Oh. faint that; twas inviting that
Randolph girl. with her silk gounds and
her white hands. and her neck Jest SO"
and she twisted her head back in way
that made me laugh.
Mother saws she's rs pretty behaved
rs need be- said |. land a to her hands
and neck. she can't well leave them at
home. but she can her silk goundS. and
hope she will. I'm sure
''Rastus wants her to come. don't he ?"
she asked in her sly way. that | knew
meant something; "'cor,ling TO accounts
she don't show none of her pride to HIM.
or he wouldn't 90 to see her much"
docs he 90 to see her much ?'
"Lor'. YOU don't mean Ia say YOU hain't
heard Why. they dew say he's waiting
on her"
"Almir'," spoke up mother. won't You
Jest step this way and see this piece of
cloth? took it out Of the loom to-day.
l calculate there's enough for two iull
suits
"Yes. he'll be twenty-one tomorrow.
But mother didn't tell her about his new,
broadcloth suit that was bought in Fal:
mouth.
Il took right hold with mother after
Almira left. and we got along amazing
spry: mother was always master hand
at cooking. | cut up the pumpkins that
afternoon and stewed them. and mother
het the brick oven. Stoves9 WHY. there
wasn't no stoves then; roasting and bak-
ing WAS done in the brick oven that WAS
first het by making in it rousing fire;
then the fire was taken out and the bak-
ing put in-furthcst in you know 30 the
things that must bake the longest. We
had n lonr shovel tn null EN- ont with