Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1885-09-22
MISCELLANEOUS.



Russets.
A late March twilight, with bitter
frost in the mir, the new moon Just
dipping it's golden horn behind tho
maple swamp i'll the west, aud the
ground sounding crispy under foot.
We had just come in from. foddcring
the CATTLE we" sounds rather sin.
gularly, when you reflect that it
meant Kitty and me, two girls OF
seventeen and nineteen; but you see
there wasn't anyone else to do it,
Father had been bed-ridden ever
since that last tattack of paralysis and
we could afford to hire no one to take
his place about the farm.
was in great spirits, playing with
pussy, who came to meet us, with her
plumy tail erect; but Kitty leaned
sadly against the wooden mantel and
looked into the fire with mournfuI
eyes.
I" Kitty" :" cried I, at last, swhat
does make you so duIl?"
"To-morrow is the third of March, -
said she gravely.
"What of that?'' 1 demanded.
"Don't you remember? The in
terest on the mortgage comes due to-
morrow. &"
$50 it does," said I, my radiant
face falling faster than thermometer
on freezing day. 6 Thirty-five
dollars! And we have nothing to pay
it with except the SIS Laura Osgood
paid for the old melodeon."
perhaps Willis Avery would
wait," suggested Kitty.
L drew myself up slightly.
"I don't choose to ask him 10
watt" said 1.
Now it happened that Willis Avery,
who held the mortgage on our home
stead, was the son of ncighbor and
a playfellow and boy-beau of my own,
who had gone to the prosperous
young city, few miles north of us,
and commenced business on his own
account, and had particular aver
sion to asking aid of him in any way.
1 might be poor, but 1 was also
proud, and Kitty was sympathetic
cuOuStl W uuueTSlauu me.
' But then what are we to do?''
said Kitty.
l sat down on the hearth rug, with
my chin in my hands, and stared
earnestly at the big cracking back
log. Pussy crept away and nestled
down in the corner, as if she knew
by instinct that there was change Of
temperature.
" Look here, Kitty" said L sud-
denly; " those russet applcs!''
+" We can sell them. There are
eight barrels at the least. Eight
barrels at two dollars and fifty cents
a barrel"
I" My dear Addy, no one will buy
them at one-fifth the price. Apples
are drug in the market" T"
' Here, grant you; but not in the
city. will take them to Mapletor
and sell them"
+" You will, Addy?"
' And why not? Squire Dyson
would charge at least 20 per cent
commission, and make a favor of il
at that. 1 can't afford either the
price or the patronage. Don't say
anything about it to father. Ht
would only fret and raise objections
What must be done must be, and
am the girl to do it,
's But, Addy, how? All this seem!
so perfectly wild and visionary t,
me-"
sEWeII, it needn't: for beI;ev,
me, it's the most practical thing il
the world. All we have to do Is t,
sort. the apples out in barrels, nicl
and sound-I can easily do. it b,
ianternl light te-night-and tomorrow
morning We'll rise early, harness oIt
Dobbin to the lumber wagon
Buthow are we to get the heay,
barrels up into the wagon?"
''Goosiel" cried 1, laughing
's can't / put the barrels into tn
wagon while they're empty and fl
them up at my leisure? And III
have them sold at Mapleton befor
you've got the pork and cabbag,
boiling for dinner.'
Kitty.
80, 1 know of lots of places.
went once to town with Obedial
Fairweather when he sold lot o
cheese. have pretty good idea o
the locality. of the commission stores
/ can tell you..''
" After all, Addy," hesitated m.
conservative little sister, g it isn't .
woman S work. -
J why isn't it, I shonld like t,