Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1894-09-15
COLUMN.


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gander was still scolding and numb
ling great rough pit" Ben had
thrown at him. down to the porch
where grandma was darning stock
ings.
Peach, Ben! Why. what's the
child teasing about. There aren't
any peaches nearer than Ma'an
Thomes's!"
"Ben's dot some-a whole potick-
ful-an' he won't SO much as let me
smell of 'em!" complained Betty,
twirling her hat by the strings and
scowling q little.
why, Ben, you can no. have been
down to the Thomes's peach-tree?"
and grandma held her darning-needle
aloft and looked at Ben severely.
Il found 'em over tho wall, my
way, side Of the road. in the tan sv.
Don't peaches and things in the road
belong to folkss
why, yes. they belong to folks
! that W the trees, certainly, Ben
not anybody going along the way.
How many have you got:' and
grandma put down the ''cleuded foot
ing" and thrust her hand, darning-
needle, thimble and all, down into
Ben's' swollen pocket
Observation-Disclosures! NV pa
thence alive! There's enough to buy
Ma'am Thomas a pair Of kitchen
aprons!-and she so poor, too! How
could you, Benz"
But grandma, I didn't know-I
didn't think" began Ben, in great
confusion.
II feel sure you didn't" said grand
ma, helping him out cit is true, the
road is laid through her little place,
and whatever is needed to keep it in
repair is right to be used. But no
over or drops into it, any more han
if the tree were in the middle of her
garden. She needs every one of
these peaches dear now, to buy her
'~necessaries.
"I've eaten one, grandma, said Ben,
p~enitently.
"Well, dear boy, I'd carry the rest
l r.rG{ 1,,1S ~ ~ ~ .-
couldn't tempt me any more. I know
just how it's, deary," said grandma,
alphabetically. 81 remember a les
son I once had when I was a little
girl, and a severe one it was; but l
think it did me good in the end and
taught me to respect the rights of
Others.
l was staying with my Aunt Merriam,
helping to take care of the babies and
going to school. It was a new town
then, and there weren't many apple
trees. Aunt Merriam had only two
'marm's graft and pas graft they
were called. Marm's graft did not
bear at all that year, and pas graft
only had a few apples in the very tip
top-late ones.
"Like all children I was fond O fapples
as a hungry pig. On my wayto school
there was quite an orchard belonging
to Deacon Horn. To be sure, the ap-
pies at this time of year were green
and puckery, but that didn't make
any difference; / ate them, cores and
all-not only picked them up by the
roadside, but I'm ashamed to say, Ben,
I got over the wall into the orchard.
I was SO greedy!
at went on sometime, till ore day
while mending my dress Aunt Mer
RAM found apple cores in the pocket
that I had laid by to nibHe after ]
went to bed.
"Well, there was a reckoning. and
the truth came out. Aunt Merriam
was greatly shocked, for she was yer J
strict In matters O right.
"And how do you think she pun
ished me?" asked grandma Ssh.
tied my feet together when she sen
me to school pext day. could Jus
take short steps-so that / couldn'
Jump the walls she said.
sOh, how shamed I was!-for tn.
children laughed OF M awkwar,
shufiings. Ma'am Lyddv, the teacher
piiiedme. She sent me home at noon
aud Aunt Merriam took of the hate
full bands, after talking to me k:ndl,
OF my fanlt.
He who would steal q pin
Would steal a bigger thing.
I hope isn't always true, dearies. bur
there IS NJ danger Of being TOO ~careiu