The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-01-02
FORBIDDEN FRUIT.

that August morning and looked
through into the old Mr.. Thomas or
chard. where the branches of the apple
trees bent beneath their burden oil
misunderstanding fruit.
"Don't they look good" said Joe,
whose mouth already watered tor such
apples Is 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.
"les, they do look nice, that's a
fact" Johnny answered. 81 wish we
had some like them in our orchard"
Its hard work to go by here every
day and see those apples hanging there
10 tantalize fellow So" said Joe, with
another longing lpok through the fence.
Just see that biz red fellow on the
end of that limb. lie hobs about as il
he was saying: Don't you wish you
could get me?' Wouldn't it be Jolly if
you and l could have a chance AT EN-?
Ooh" and here Joe made an indescrib-
able sound intended 10 express the pleas
ure he felt confident he would expert
ence in having the free range of such
an orchard as this was. Everybody
said Mr.. Thomas had the finest apples
in the whole country.
"Guess you fellows have got quite q
mouth for apples. hain't yea" said a
gruf voice close by, and both the BOYS
were so startled that they Jumped, feel
ing almost as if they had been detected
in doing some thing wrong.
Mr. Thomas was standing in corner
of the fence. leaning over the rails,
watching them.
"'Twon't do to let you starve if
few apples II save ye," and he laughs
in his usual grim way. Here's half a
dozen for We. Jes' picked 'em up under
that tree on that knoll yender. Fust
I've found ripe, this year. l don't
gene'ly give many apples to the bows,
for they steal 'em afore get q chance.
but dun no as you'd do that. Dru.her
give 'em away than have 'em stole,
cause teller likes to have the handlin'
of his own prop'ty," added Mr.. Thom-
as. with a chuckle.
The boys took the apples and
thanked Mr.. Thomas for them. Then
they went on toward the village, to
which Johnny's iather had sent 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 lew and myste-
rious tone, when they were going up
stairs to bed, "wouldn you like some
more of those apples?"
Course | would" answered johnny.
Then let's get some." said Joe.
"What dye say?"
How Ii we get emp" asked johnny.
"Why, take 'emn' answered Joe.
IF we don't some other bows will, an |
we might as well have 'em as any
body.
That was q very poor argument. No |
,ne was ever justified in a wrong |
action, because if they didn't do it, |
some one else would.
.'Wouldn't it be stealings" said |
Johnny.
Folks don't call it stealing if a boy |
axes few apples to eat answered |
Toe. Besides, Mr.. Thomas won't miss
EN-. anyway"
May be not" said Johnny, hesi-
atingly. '.But it don't seem just right,
or he gave us some, and as much as
aid he didn't think we'd steal-or take
my without his lieve." corrected John
'y.-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
III. 81 thought you liked fun"
'Fll go along said Johnny. who
vas always ready when there was a
nance for sport. He didn't quite ap-
rove of this way of doing business,
'ut. Ike good many of us children
# larger growth" he smothered his
and set of.
:" don't suppose there's any need of
'eing very CAREFUL" said Joe. "'Ta:n't
cry likely Mr.. Thomas III be round
his time of night"
But they were careful, for all that.
md didn't speak above a breath until
hey were in the tree from which the
ruit had been taken that had so aroused |
|oe's appetite for apples.
{" Amt this jolly?' whispered Joe,
With his mouth full of apple. Seems
0 me they taste better than them did
his morning. I'm going to stuff my
pockets with 'em. and carry all l can
n my shirt I-Hark!'
The exclamation was caused bv a
loise near them that sounded very much
ike step in the dry grass.
wouldn't wonder il some of the ,
'ther boys were out on q lark too"
Johnny, who was not with
nut some misgivings, however. Ills
en-"
Yes, the sound they heard was the
ound OF step sure enough, and they
anc'ed they could hear others near by. t
ut is the boys, sure's you're alive"
aid Joe. I'm going to hail 'em.