The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-01-16
THE RUSSET APPLES.
How They Helped to End Addy
Walters Trials.

frost in the air; the new moon Just
dipping its golden horn behind the
maple swamp in the west, and the
ground sounding crisply under foot. We
had just come in from foddering the cat
tle-''we" sounds rather singularly
when you reflect that it meant Kitty
and i, two girls of seventeen and nine
teen; but you see there wasn't any one
else to do it, Father had been bedrid-
den ever since that last attack of par
alysis, and we could afford to hire no
one to take his place about the farm.
Il don't pity them gals" Neighbor
Dyson said They might sell the
horse and cow"
Neighbor Dyson had generously Of
fered US something less than half price
for them, thinking, no doubt, that we
would be thankful to jump at the
chance. But Kitty and l, after taking
the matter into consideration, thanked
him, and declined politely.
I'VE couldn't keep house without old
Mooley, could we, Addy?" said my sis
ter. There are so many nice dishes we
can make for poor father, if we have
plenty of good, rich milk and cream.
And the butter that We should have to
buy at Neighbor Dyson's city prices
would go far to counterbalance the
money we should get for Mooley-"
And as for the horse" said /, ''he
eats but little; and how on earth could
we get around the country, even to the
post-ofIice, such weather as this, if it
wasn't for old Dobbin, that we have had
ever since ! can Ieme N ber."
SO it happened that on this special
March evening we had just come in
from attending to tho wants of our live
stock. 1L. "a. 49,
was in great spirits, playing with
pussy, who came to meet US with her
plumy tail erect; but Kitty leaned sadly
against the wooden manJeI and looked
into the fire with mournful eyes.
kitty" cried I, at last, what does
make you SO dull?"
Tomorrow is the Sd of March," said
she, gravely.
What of that?' ! demanded.
"Don't you remember? The inter
est on the mortgage comes due to-mor-
row."
80 it does," said 1, my radiant face
falling faster than the thermometer on
a freezing day. Thirty five dollarsl
And we have nothing to pay it with ex-
cept the fifteen dollars Laura Osgood
Perhaps Willis Avery would wait"
suggested Kitty.
drew myself up, slightly,
II don't choose to ask him to wait"
said /.
Now, it happened that Willis Avery,
who held the mortgage on our home
stead, was the son of a neighb Dor and an
old playfellow and boy-beau of my
70 "a
young city few miles north of us and
commenced business on his own account,
and / had a 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?r said
Kitty. E.l a.4
i sat down on the hearth rug, with
my chin in my hands, and stared earn
estly at the big cracking black log.
Pussy crept away and nestled down in
the corner, as if she knew by instinct
that there was a change of temperature.
Look here, Kitty" said /, suddenly.
Those russet apples!"
'.Well?" ~
I'VE can sell them. There are eight
barrels at the least Eight barrels at
two dollars and fifty cents barrel
my dear Addy, no one will buy them
at one-tifth the price. Apples are
drug in the market"
Here, grant you, but not in the
city. l will 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 prico or the
patronage. Don't say any thing about
it to father. lie would only fret and
raise objections. What must be done,
must be, and 1 am the girl to dc it,
But Addy, how? All this seems SO
perfectly wild and visionary to me-"
We'll, 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-I can easily do it by lantern
light to-night-and tomorrow morning
well rise early, harness old Dobbin to
the lumber-wagon@'
But how are we to get the heavy bar
rels up into the wagon?"
''Goosie" cried /. laughing. Cant
/ put the barrels up into the wagon
while they're empty, and fill them at
my leisure? And I'll have them sold
at Mapleton before you've got the pork
and cabbage boiling for dinner"
But where will you go?" asked Kitty.
oh! know lots of places. 1 went
once to town with Obediah Fairweather,
when he sold lot of cheeses. I've
pretty good idea of the locality of the
commission stores, l can tell you"
After all, Addy," hesitated my con-
servative little sister, 'it isn't wom-
ans work.
Why isn't IL, 1 should like to know,
SO long as woman can do it At all