The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-09-03
APPLE-WOM EN-.
Disappearance OF the Variety Which Pro.
vailed In Childhood.

Among the prettiest, most attractive
most deceiving, yet withal the most
captivating of the fresh green products.
the country sends to town at this time
of the year is the green apple. Its
shiny coat, mixed with just enough red
to make it tinted, hides the cholera
germ which careful mothers say exists
within. and gives it a position in the
minds of youth far ahead of that
occupied by plain but substantial diet.
the shaggy but healthful potato, or the
"roasting-ears" with their harsh, green
coverings topped with the faded silk"
Despite its delicate appearance. the
green apple is hardy, and it is a very
had season that does not produce it in
great numbers, SO when it does begin to
come to town it comes in quantities, and
the supply keeps up until in the natural
course of events it gives way to some
other product.
OF course these green apples are sold.
Many are carted from market-houses by
heads of families with a view to apple
pie for lunch or dinner, but countless
thousands-to use an expressive but
ancient expression-are dealt out one
by one to the small boys and others who
%patronize the fruit-vender.
When the men of to-day were boys
they bought their apples from the ''old
apple-woman," but the boys of to-day
have less dealing with what their fathers
considered an immovable fixture in the
worlds progress. It is a fact that the
apple-woman is passing slowly but sure
~ away. Where she could be counted
by tens and twepties the same number
of years ago, she is now only found at rare
intervals. She has been crowded out.
Her well-flled basket is superseded by
the more commodious corner stand, and
she herself is superseded by the dark
| complexioned Italian, whose race seems
20 have emigrated to this country tc
make fruit-selling and rag-picking theis
| specialties. The Ital' an at the best ID
lazy. If he does hard work he goes
about it in a slow, measured way that
makes an active man nervous The
fruit business just suits, and when he
| can sit and dose in his little box, keep
ing one eye half open to guard his stock
from the onslaughts of the tormenting
gamins, he is happy. His limited v o
cabulary of English words enables him
to tell the price of his wares and he has
cunning enough to keep the bruised side
of his apples, pears, and peaches turned
away from the customers. His whole
mind is on his business, and that has its
effect. He makes vigorous war on the
dust that settles on his fruit, for he
knows the American people admire
| cleanliness, no matter how far his nat
ural disposition may lead him in a con.
trary direction.
| But the apple-woman is different.
She leans toward the over-ripe and
a%cidulated, and by sheer force of per.
sistence compels the public to take
them off her hands. She has an IN.
dying antipathy to fresh apples and
oranges. The way she sits on the
public's prejudices and forces it to take
what it doesn't want marks her genius
for dealing with that untractable beast.
She never advances; has no ambition tC
have an attractive Or prosperous look
ing stand; prefers TO pose as a figure foz
the generosity of the benevolent rather
than be a factor in leg innate business
She is but a bungler in business at best
She lacks tact and skill and pride.
If she begins business with a barre
covered with a board, or with a basket
when she retires from business her out
fit is the same. She does not depend
on attractiveness for her trade. She il
patient-very patient. Sometimes shs
depends upon the whines in her voice
the respondent look in her face, ant
her poverty-stricken appearance, be
lieving that it is not in human nature t.
racsct n foftoro,. y nd naryicfapf onnno1
In this she judges Alright. She lives
and that proves success. Sometime
she grows wealthy, and that prove
greater success: but unless you have tn
same amount of patience that she has
and watch her day after day, you Cal
not but wonder whence come
her custom. Sometimes you viii
watch her for hours without see
ing a customer approach. Ye
she has customers, else her caree
would not be so p%rotracted. She win
them by patient waiting, which tn
proverb says is never a loss. She set
up her small establishment and sits con
tentedly down beside it to wear out tn
public's patience. and succeeds. At frs
people in the vicinity of her location re
sent her presence among them. She j
considered in the nature of q blemisI
upon the landscapes blot upon it
record of prosperity. But they get owe
that, aud get used to seeing her Their
day after day, aud at last they are s.
impressed by her quiet p~st;ance tina
they are impelled to buy something Q
her as q reward for her perseverance
Then they buy a second, and a third
and a fourth time. because they see sh
expects it, and would feel small not t
CRAFTY her. BY that time the habit O
buying from her is formed, and habit
really the cog-wheel of the machiner
that moves human kind. The hab;
kept up becomes a sort of duty. and til
apple-womau's future is fixed beyon
peradventure. She is now what the RI
porters call identified with the loca'
ity." In her own language, she ha
worked up q trade.
;. The apple-woman is a paradox in he
way. She is patient and persever'n ms
, but not ambirlous. No matter ho'
lucrative her trade. she never retire
from it. If she have children she send
r them to school. They grow up NOR
educated than she and fitted for a highe
place in society. Sometimes she hs
sons who hold good positions, and som.
times she has daughters who mar
well. The prosperity of her children
. qualification to her, but she continue
lat the old stand" just the same. The
may own a house or two, paid for J
= the careful storing up of the penn.'
that came so slowly into her hands, b,
she is not satisfied. She has become
2 accustomed to her business that she ca
not leave it. Her children may invoE
g her to retire, but she will not. II
sidewalk has attractions for her that tt
t pleasures of a palace would not suppl
aud that continues until physical i
firmities deny her the privilege.
Contentment with her life is one
the character sites of the fruit-sellir
woman. She's perfectly happy. 81
wouldn't exchange her place behind h
small merchandise for anything {