Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-10-24
FORBIDDEN FRUIT.

johnny and Joe stepped to the fence
that August morning and looked
through into the old Mr.. Thomas or
chard, where the branches of the apple
trees bent beneath their burden of
misunderstanding fruit.
"Don't they look good" said Joe,
whose mouth already watered tor such
apples Us these. He could easily under
stand how our Mother Eve gave way to
temptation when it was presented in
the shape of a plump, juicy apple.
eyes. they do look nice, that's a
fact" Johnny answered. 81 wish we
had some like them in our orchard"
"It's hard work to 60 by here every
day and see those apples hanging there
to tantalize a fellow So" said Joe, with
another longing look through the fence.
"Just see that big red fellow on the
end of that limb. He hobs about as if
he was saying: Don't you wish you
could get meP Wouldn't it be jolly il
you and I could have a chance at 'em?
O-ohr' and here Joe made an indescrib-
able sound intended to express the pleas
ure he felt confident he would expert
ence in having the free range of such
an orchard as this was. Everybody
in the whole country.
"Guess you fellows have got quite q
mouth for apples. hain't YEP" said a
gruff voice close by, and both the boys
were so startled that they jumped, feel
ing almost as if they had been detected
in doing something wrong.
MIR. Thomas was standing in a corner
of the fence, leaning over the rails,
watching them.
"'Twon't do to let you starve if a
few apples I'll save ye," and he laughs
n his usual grim way. "Here's half a
oxen for we. Jes' picked 'em up under
that tree on that knoll yender. Fust
I've found ripe, this year. 1 don't
gene'ly give many apples to the boys,
for they steal 'em afore l get a chance,
but l dun no as you'd do that. Druther
give 'em away than have 'em stole,
aus Teller likes to have the handlin'
Of bis w prop'ty," added MI. Thorn
as, with q chuckle.
The boys took the apples and
thanked Mr.. Thomas for them. Then
they went on toward the village, to
which %Johnny's father had SEN him
and his cousin Joe on some sort of an
errand. Before they had got around
the corner the apples had disappeared.
"My! Want they good?' said Joe,
smacking his lips. "If ther'd only
been more"
That night he proposed something to
Johnny.
Say" said he, in a low and mystic
rious tone, when they were going up
stairs to bed, wouldn't you like Some
more of those apples?"
Course l would answered Johnny.
"What dye say?"
How'll we get 'em?" asked johnny.
"Why, take 'em!" answered Joe.
''lf We don't some other boys will, an
we might IS well have 'em as any,
body"
That was a very poor argument. No
one was ever justified in a wrong
action, because if they didn't do it.,
some II else would.
Wouldn't it be stealing?" said
Johnny.
"Folks don't call it stealing if a boy
takes a few apples to eat answered
Joe. Besides, Mr.. Thomas won't miss
EN-, anyway"
"May be not" said Johnny, hest
tatlngly. "But itdon'tseem just right,
for he gave us some, and as much as
said he didn't think we'd steal-or take
any without his %lieve," corrected John
ny.-He hardly liked the sound of the
word ''steal."
"Well, you needn't do it if you don't
want to- said Joe, with an offended
air. Il thought YOU liked fun"
"l1l go along said JOHNNY, who
was always ready when there was a
chance for sport. He didn't quite ap-
prove OF this way of doing business,
but, k a good many Of us .'children
Of a larger GROWTH he smothered his
conscience and set off.
81 don't suppose there's In need of
being very careful" said Joe. "'Tain't
very likely Mr.. Thomas I'll be round
this time of night.'
But they were careful, Tor all that,
and didn't speak above a breath until
they were in the tree from which the
FRUIT had been taken that had so aroused
|oe's appetite for apples.
Aln't TINS Jolly?' whispered Joe,
With MS mouth full Of apple. Seems
TO me they taste better than them did
this morning. I'm going to stuff nv
pockets with 'em, and carry all | can
in my shirt. I-Hark!"
The exclamation was caused nv a
noise near them that sounded very much
like a step in the dry grass.
"Wouldn't wonder if some or the
other boys were out on a lark too"
whispered Johnny, who was not with
oul some misgivings, however. Ills
Yes the sound they heard was the
sound OF a step sure enough, and thew
'anclea they could hear others near by.
~ IS the boys, sure's you're alive"
Say, boys, hello!''
Whats that? Who air We, an
where be Ye?' demanded a ornIf vo;a1