Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-23

SUICIDAL course. IT now began 10 QevelOp
numerous side shoots which hung graceful
ly trailing in the air. 1t soon filled the en-
tire treilis. and whatever doubt still hnger-
ed as to its utility It was the unanimous
verdict of the family that as an ornamental
plant 1t was great success. For q long
time 1t seemed destined to be nothing more
When the fruits reached the length Of two
or three inches they would wither, shrlvel
and drop of. Several eventually passed be.
yond this stage, seeming to have escaped
the maladies peculiar to the infant pump
kin. Some grew to the size Of a cocoanut-
In the strenuous application of that law to
which all things are subject, however. but
one specimen was destined to survive
There were accidents. out probably even
without them 1t was impossible that the
plant could bring to maturity at 30 great a
distance from its roots more than q single
fruit.
This one presently filled the Appleby
household with anxiety. With q healthy In
stinct the vine had crept in and out among
the Stats, thus securing firm hold. Per
versely enough, this had formed on q LOOP
on the under side. 1t was impossible "a
raise 1t up SO that the trellis would support
1t, and hopeless to leave 1t where 1t was
Its weight dragged 1t lower and lower each
day. Each morning they dreaded to find its
Mrs. Appleby finally solved the problem
by crocheting q sort Of coarse net in which
1t was suspended. Thus secured against Its
own improvidence. 1t gave itself up to the
seductions Of purely vegetable life. Its
roots were. indeed, in the earth, but, alone
among its fellows, 1t was child OF the air.
The winds rocked its cradle: 1t drank the
dew and the rain: the sunshine fed and
nourished II. Never was babe watched
with much greater interest and solicitude.
The bee, the hawkmoth and the hummins
bird had peered into the bright yellow
chalice where 1t lay when little more than .
dream. The Applebys had watched 1t from
the time 1t was knob and q flower, singly
or in groups; many times every day they
stood about observing every phase Of its de-
velopment Neighbors had looked with as
towering and foliage plant. Workmen upon
neighboring roofs. recognizing it's species.
had been overheard quantity discussing this
novel agricultural experiment. At every
stage OF Its growth 1t was thing Of beauty.
Its pale creamy tint grew into a vivid green,
which deepened and darkened until 1t seem
ed almost black. Finally the cream tint re-
appeared in a little spot at the blossom end.
undertone of bright yellow could presently
be seen. shining through the outer wrap
pings of color like a smoldering fire. Along
the channels between the ribs II pushed it.
self lige the stripes In the golden-banded lily
and spread latterally in a delicate and in
tricate lace work. These lines broadened
and deepened in color day by day, finally
covering the entire surface. 1t had reached
its perfect development. 1t was perfect in
symmetry, in color and texture. Its shell
was almost as hard as that of a squash.
with few little warts,always found on the
finest specimens. Mrs. Appleby's critical
judgment was satisfied. She could have
found a larger but no more perfect specimen
In her garden at home.
1t was left on its trellis, not without con-
siderable anxiety lest some daring burglar
should break into the back yard at night.
until the growing chill of the autumn
other dangers, when, with much ceremony
and step-ladder, the whole family stand
ing about with anxious countenances and
uplifted hands lest ii should be dropped, all
proffering advice and aid, the pumpkin
crop was. for a wonder. safely harvested.
But 30 long had 1t been an object not
merely Of admiration, but Of tender solicit
tude. that its disposition now was a matter
of considerable difficulty. To shut it up
in q dark store room with barrels, boxes
jugs, Jars and bottles. potatoes. canned
goods and the miscellany Of unused kitchen
utensils, seemed q Dissertation. Who knew
whether Its tender sensibtlities would be
wounded or to what extent 1t might suffer
for lack Of human companionship? The
final result was that 1t was placed on q
stand in the bay window, where, with its
gazed out upon the street and naturally
attracted much attention. The comments
were curious. often amusing, and some
times annoying. Whether 1t was q real
pumpkin. whether the Applebys had raised
1t, and II so. what for. were Questions much
discussed, especially by gamins and colored
women. 'Oh, I've seen lots bigger" and
DE Law sakes! Fob ia have such a
thing in my wind )w,' were the disrespect-
full remarks sometimes overheard.
Many people insited that 1t was wax,
and as an artificial object cheerfully prais-
ed its realism. An arust had sketched 1t
and students modelled 1t in clay. For blocks
around the Appiepys were botanicaIly clas-
sitied as the pumpkin family" Mr.. A..
who, as young man. had imagined him
self poet-a stretch OF fancy not eQualed
Sy,n Of hi had
cal tribute. anticipating the maj scene,
full OF illusions to sacreu plants and legen-
DAIRY lore, and mystical nonsense ABOUT
druid priesIs ana "sacrlhclal ures, trans
formation and organic union OF the lower
nature with The nlgner. and the CONVEX
sion OF matter into the very substance OF
Inougnt
But as Thanksgiving drew near the idea
OF cutting up. cooking and devouring TINS
beautiful creature became to AIRS. Appleoy
more and more repuiSlve. She began 10
ouer various excuses. Her oven was IN bad
order. Sne hadn't this and she hadn't that.
She had lost her old skill and she knew the
pies would be a complete failure. Finally
she said fatty she couldn't and she
wouldn't She would almost as soon cut up
one of the children for mince meat. OF
course the family all laughed, but they did
not tease her so much as she had expected.
In truth, they more than half shared her
feeling and quite respected 1t.
Thanksgiving had come and gone but the
puLiphih AIS pace Oh nOnOT. II
could not stay there forever, of course, but
they need not yet decide its ultimate fate.
But one morning, as they gathered in the
sitting room. they were all impressed with a
sense that something was wanting though
for time the feeling did not take definite
shape. Finally some one asked what had
become of the pumpkin. Mrs. Appieby
looked with a sudden sinking Of the heart.
Some one had carried it to the kitchen or
store room, but inquiry failed to confirm
the hypothesis. An examination showed
that the window had not been fastened the
night before, piece Of negligence not in
frequent in this family. But Mrs A. would
not admit the possibility of theft until she
had examined every possible and impossible
place several times. Then she sat down
and wept
Suspicion fell at once upon a certain boy
OF the neighborhood who a day or two be-
fore had tried to negotiate q trade with one
of the Appleby boys He had made the
tempting offer Of an old broken -bladed
knife three glass alleys and a dozen
pulsed. Meaning to use It for a Jack-o'-
lantern he could not very well conceal his
booty, but reasoning that all pumpkins
were pretty much alike and that identifi-
cation would be very difficult he boldly ex.
hibited II, claiming that he had rot IL at
the market. Market indeed! This was an
insult almost more exasperating than the
theft.
Naturally the boys parents believed him.
They had never known him to steal or lie,
they said, with some Indignation. The Ap-
that everybody else in the neighborhood
had. The result was bad blood. hasty epi-
thets, the Intervention of a policeman who
marched the boy to the police court follow