The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-19
APPLE BLOSSOMS.

IFrom the Chicago Times -Herald.]
McGrady the guard, moved leisurely
down the main gravel path. In spite of
a glorious May sun, the green lawns
and sprouting trees, he wore a dissat1S-
fed expression on his old, bristIy face
The blue sky angered him, the chirping
sparrowS proved equally aggravating-
He was dissatisfied with fate, hImSel1;
and, burdened with this dissatisfaction,
he faced the balmy wind with angry
brow, and was just about to vanish
into one of the numerous side paths
when a slight noise arrested his foot
a noise of breaking twigS-
He stared sharply for moment, then
proceeded to a cluster of bushes, where
he sternIy confronted the small, shrink
ing figure of a woman. Poor, cIeans
with worn face decidedly German.
She had a frightened look in her eyes,
while she endeavOred to hide her right
hand back of her. McGrady's eyes de-
tected a muti1ated. branch above his
head. His wrath increased
Drop that, ma ami" came from his
lips. A beautiful spray of apple bios
SONS fell to the ground. Don't ye
know thot ye're not to mutilate any O.
these trees? ?" Without needing the pitt
full look that met his, he bawled in
commanding tones: Now, come out o
this!''
Her thin, horny hands, claspfng each
other the culprtt followed him out into
the sunny path
sign? An can ye read it?" He fairly
Yes, she could read, she saba weak
voice, quivering with suppressed grief.
McGrady adrOitly moved his cap to the
back of his head, scratching his fore
head with the air of one about to solve
some problem.
AN phwat do ye s'pose we plants
them fur? Don't ye know it's crime
to mutilate trees %
The woman spoke.
''Undt Wouldn't you let's me dake dat
1eedle tweeg midt me?"
n n "a XEyilI I
understand you're Whimperin's. It's
deshtOrOyed, anyway; it's deshtructed;
but ye can't have it-let thOt be yer
punishment fur this tonne. Now go an
don't Offind ag'int'
He turned his back to her.
I han a Ieedle child dyink at home!"
ed for the words struck his ear like a
sigh-words burdened with sorrow,
words that brought back to the old man
scenes of bygone years.
I have a child dying at hOmet"
Many years had passed since the
death of his own little darling, but
these few words brought back the
deathbed scene to him.
'Ye have a child a-dying, ma am ?"
She reeled, and would have fallen had
not the muscular form of the man sup
ported her. He hurried her to a bench
near by. With a great effort she seem
ed to recover. They sat side by side.
"Meester, mine darling, leedle Elsa
Tell me all about it, ma am
''She is dyink-going fast. Soon will
be alone. She vas so preedy midi her
blOndt curls undt blue eyes dat looked
like leedle viOlets. De doctor has gif
her ub-mine GOtti mine GOtti She
vas mine hope, mine joy. Mine life,
meester. vas one of labor, of sorrows.
I york hard in mine life. But When L
comes home at night,vhen mine pets
leedle White arms was aboudt mine
neck, dhen L vas happy-happy." She
broke into a sob. Now she smiles no
mode. O! dat baby's smile vas some
=
heaven to me, I know; id vas like
springtime, like a sunny landscapes; id
vas-GOtti Now she smiles no more.
She has grown thin, so leedle il her
face, undt dhoes beeg eyes look 50 sad.
Soon they will close undt I will haf to
lay her away. I can't pear id can't
pear id!''
''Meester, blease, Ella. always loved
apple blossoms Gould takes dot leedle
tweeg midt me? Maypez dot smile
come back once more; maypez she close
her sweet eyes midi last smile on her
lips"
McGrady sat silently, a far-away look
in his eyes He was a stern man, yet
some how he felt himself the culprit.
He had vision-a country Churchyard
beneath the sun of old Ireland, a small
grave covered with green, where his
own little darling had found her last
resting place. Was it not Christ who
taught US Love one another" He
thought he beheId a great throne, and
next to Got sat the savior, but before
them, under their loving gaze, was
chiId-his own. And it seemed to him
as though her eyes sought him in mute
appeal He heard a thin child's voice
urging him on to one good, kind act:
that this one act of gentleness might
lessen his own grief. tighten the burden
that rested upon him. He thought he
beheld another child beside his own,
f1axen- haired, with blue eyes like the
beautiful little violets.' and an accu-
sation of flashing in them which
caused great beads of perspiration to
form upon his brow. Then a plaintive
voice spoke. What. he knew not, but
the face of God changed, and with it
the heavens darkened. The smiling an
gels shrank in horror from his own
darling and fled. It was enough. That
grim old heart was moved. He arose
hastily.
'.Ia'am," he said, don't speak av
thanking me. II don't deserve it; an
hasten home to your darlin'. God be
with yei" He left her. but to return
presently, in his own hand that one
wonderful spray of sweet, pink bios
SONS, which he awkwardly dropped into
the WOman'S lap.