The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1885-09-25

costly and luxurious wares "a had
never been seen before IN the set
Element. The simple Micah, daz-
zled by the display, invited the
prddler to his house, aud at AN evil
moment plunged his kniie to his
heart, beneath this very trre, 80 that
his life blood flowed d0wn aud
mingled with It's roots. Tue next
Spling its blossoms changed from
snowy whIte tO vet, dud ~ August,
when the apples came Iumbllng
dO@n-larse aud yellow and juicy
there hung ia every u n drop of
blood. There they lay before The
terrified Micah, the evidence of his
now never-tO.be forgotten deed.
With nature in SpriUg time and
autumn so strangely prompting the
gOadlngs of his conscience, who
shall wonder that the Simple-h9Irt-
ed Micah should change into II mo
rOSe and melancholy man aud lead
an accursed liieP Sach was the
fact. Time went for naugnt but
the memory of his crime, business
was neglected, and soon from a
prosperous farmer he became "A
pauper, dependent upon the chari
ties of the community. In l7l7 lie
was glad to increase his slender
means 10y assuming charge OF the
Westinghouse, receiving therefor n
peck OF corn yearly from each fam
lily in the society. OF his last years,
or panper death, the records tell
briefly, but significantly
"July 5, 1927. The inhabitants
do now, by their vote, agree to al
low 10 each man who watches with
Micah Rood two shillings per night.
Also, to those who have attended
said Rood by day, three shillings
per day.
"Dec. II, 1928. To Jacob Hyde,
for digging Micah Foods grave,
60 Is. Cd.
"Iu face of the facts, who shall
pronounce the story Of Micah Rood
affection, or think it too strange that
Nature should record her horror of
human crime?
''TwO foot notes accompany the
account
Thirty years ago it was called
in%differently the Mike or the Rood
apple, but now the former name
has generally obtained.
October We first day, 1717, We
societe agreed ey their vote vt each
family SHALL give Micah Rood II
eek OF corn tor sweeping ye meet
ing house Que year"
The foregoing is anvaruisheG
tale. Tradition depicts him AS "A
supplemented, good hearted fellow,
the Eavorite OF all the ncighburhOOd
children. Each year, When the APP.
pies became mellow on the early
tree in the garden, the children
stopped at the garden gate on their
way from school, and Mike brought
tn them armfuls of the fruit. In
the September following the crime
the children stopped ut tue gate,
and Mike met them with il sad
face.
"The tree is cursed, children"
said he. "Thpre is blood in the
appler," he added after u moment
m0odily shaking las head; it Is the
peddiers blood"
The children hOwnvprin demand
ing tue apples, aud Mike finally
yielded, He went to the trre aud
returned with IN armlul, which he !
gave to them. Ghrn pulling out
his iIckhIfr he Spil; one OF the APP
pies in twain. a bright STAIN toll
the blade aud cOlored the
1ulp fom Iihd to core.
"pueIeH he exclaimed, ''you see
he htood.| He tanned away, and
went into the house m%uttcring. 1t
was partial admission of guilt to
.hr children that first led his
lpighbors to suspect that he was
he cause of the peddler's mystic
iouS disappearance. One tradi.
ion has it that Mike, instead OF
a pauper, hanged himself to
limb of a tree under which he
'uripd tue peddlcr.
Tho Mike apple has II tart, agree
bile flavor, ami it is one of the
'eSt early fruits. a fue large
like apple tree Is on Pine Tree
al EaSr Great Plain IN this
own. All the Trees are dIstin.
bN blood red blossoms. 1t
Il pOpnlar belief that the stain
.Oes not appear IN fruit from a
tree. Propagation can be
accomplished only by planting
eeds VI transplanting shoots.
On HIS METTLE.-He was tell
il ia his Honor nj tho Pnlira