The Osceola times., 1885-05-02
RUSSETS.
How the Interest on the Mortgage
Was Met.


A late March twilight, with a 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 crsply under foot. We had
Just come in-from foddering the cattle
1--WE" sounds rather singularly when
we reflect that it meant Kitty and me,
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
we could afford to hire no one to take
his place about the farm.
Twas in great spirits, playing with
pussy, who came to meet us with her
plumy tail erect; but Kitty leaned sad
ly against the wooden mantel and
looked into the fire with mournful
eyes.
kitty" cried !, at last, 'what does
make you so dull?'
Tomorrow is the third of March,"
said she. gravely.
what of that?" demanded.
Don't you remember? The inter-
est on the mortgage comes due to-mor-
morrow"
80 it does" said |. my radiant face
falling faster than the thermometer on
freezing day. "Thirty-five dollars!
And we have nothing to pay it with ex-
hn tftan, lAIlurc I
paid for the old melodeon."
Perhaps Willis Avery would wait"
suggested Kitty.
drew myself up slightly.
al don't choose to ask him to wait"
said l.
Now it happened that Willis Avery.
who held the mortgage on our home
stead was the son of neighbor and an
old piayfellow and boy-beau Of my own,
who had gone to the prosperous young
city few miles north Of us and COM
menced business on his own account,
and | had particular aversion to ask
ing aid or help of him in any way. /
might be poor, but | was also proud,
and Kitty was quite sympathetic enough
to understand me.
"But then what are we to do?" said
Kitty.
sat down on the hearth rug, with
my chin in my hands, and stared earn
estly at the big cracking back log.
Pussy crept away and nestled down in
the corner, as If she knew by. instinct
that there was a change Of tcmpera-
ture.
Look here, Kitty, said ], suddenly.
Those russet applesH'
"WellP"
1--WE can sell them. There are eight
barrels at the least Eight barrels at
two dollars and fifty cents a barrel"
my dear Addy, no one will buy them
at one-ifth the price. Apples are a drug
in the market"
Here. / grant you; but not in the
city Twill take them to Mapleton and
sell them"
"You will, Addy?"
"And why not? Squire Dyson would
charge at least twenty per cent COM
mission. and make favor Of it at that.
can't afford either the price or the
patronage. Don't say any thing about
1t to father. He would only fret and
Ao'oc oDlcctlouS. w nat must Dc uOuc,
must be, and am the girl to do it."
"But, Addy, how? All this seems so
perfectly wild and visionary to me-"
"Well, it needn't; for, believe me, it's
the most practical thing in the world.
All we have to do is to sort the apples
out in barrels, nice and sound. | can
easily do it by lantern light tonight
and tomorrow morning We II rise early,
harness old Dobbin TO the lumber
wagon"
But how are we to get the heavy
barrels up into the wagonP"
"Goosie!" cried /, laughing, "can't l
put the barrels up into the wagon while
they're empty and fill them at my
leisurep And Ill have them sold at
Mapleton before you've got the pork
and cabbage boiling for dinner"
But where will you goP" asked
Kitty.
"Oh, ! know lots of places. went
once to town with Obadiah Fairweather
when he sold lot of cheese. have a
pretty good idea of the locality of the
commission stores, can tell you"
After all, Addy," hesitated my con-
servative little sister, ''it isn't woman's
work."
why isn't il. / should like to know,
SO long as woman can do itp At all
events, a woman must pay her debts
50, II you'll hurry up the tea, I'll be of
to the barn"
"And what shall we tell papa?"
"Oh, he'll think I've gone to singing
school with the Dyson girls, and ! don't
think it's Christian duty to undeceive
him, answered..
But, notwithstanding the brave face l
put upon affairs, my heart quivered
little the next day as drove off toward
Mapleton, with the scarlet stain Of sun
rise dyeing all the east, and my own
cheeks flushed with the keen morning
air.
but il wasn't so bad after all. With
pardonable egotism. ! supposed that
every one would be staring at me. but
on The contray. young woman selling
apples might be tho commonest sight In
tne world, 20 little comment or surprise
0d It apparently excite. Mr.: Hollo-
wy u the asw Of Holloway 1eotheM