The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-05-03

| Chlmmle-1f L don't wear it Mag v
gang'll mob me.
Underneath their branches there were
happy children, playing games and recit-
ing verses about apple-trees and bios
sons
| Then they planted new little apple
tree in Bob's orchard. OF course the tree
had been started at just the right time in
early spring, in a box OF earth Then,
at the explaining the box was broken
away, leaving solid lump OF earth that
the tree stood in. Bob's father lifted the
tree and earth and lowered it into the
hole, and then Bob filled it all up level
That is the way they planted birthday
tree every year
Then the children all sang songs and
danced about the new apple-tree. When
they grew tired, Bob made speech He
made it UP as he went along.
Boys and girls, this is my birthday
1t is the birthday OF my apple trees. too,
only some of them are older than others
On every one OF my birthdays my father
gives me and appletree, and he and |
plant it. I've had birthday parties al
ways but this is the first party my apple
trees ever had. Mother says they dressed
all up for it, and think myself they look
pretty nice. The biggest one is the old
est. It's nine years old. 1t was planted
when l was one year old, and now I'm
ten.
Il have all the apples from my trees,
and l sell them or give them away, and
carry branches OF blossoms to people,
and-and-I love my apple-trees, and
wish every one Of you had an orchard,
too. Now, I'll speak a piece about an
apple-tree that makes it seem like a per-
son. It's from the German. Mother
taught it to me to speak today:
Il halted at a pleasant inn
AS my way was vending i
A golden apple was the sign.
From knotty bough depending.
"Mine host-it was an apple-tree-
He sniingly received me,
! And spread his choicest. sweetest fruit
To strengthen and relieve me.
Full many little feathered guest
Came through hiss branches SPRING
ing:
They hoped and flew from spray to
spray,
Their notes OF gladness singing.
Beneath the shade laid me down,
And slumber sweet possessed me;
The soft wind blowing through the
leaves
With whispers low caressed me.
'And when I rose and would have paid
Ny host so open-hearted,
He only shook his lofty head
l blessed him and departed.
That's all. Now, let's have some Of
the apples and things to eat"
How the children clapped at Bob's
speech! They thought it fine speech
for boy of ten to make. and SO it was.
But Bob stood out in his own orchard
under his own poisoning apple-trees,
and that was enough to make any boy
able to talk
A bell rang from the house. 1t sound
ed sweet and far away in the quiet May
air. "Hurrah for supper" cried Bob,
and away they all scampered up to the
house. There on the big, broad piazza
was long, low table set out for them
with all sorts of country goodies.
Bowls of aplpe blossoms from Bob's
trees stood on pink tissue-paper mats
along the centre. The dishes were all
white and pink There were pitchers OF
milk, and great white plates piled with
apples from Bob's trees. They had kept
nicely all winter in the cellar bins. There
were sandwiches. of course, and warm
biscuits. with glass dishes OF apple jelly
to cat with them Then the children had
a course OF cake and fruit and finished
off with lady fingers, and white mounds
of apple-snow served in pink saucers.
Well, that was feast. Afterward the
feasters just had to play tag and hide-and-
seek, to make their Wristbands feel at all
comfortable.
Altogether, Bob's apple.tree party was
said to be the incest ever held in that vii
llage, and all the children are hoping he'll
have another one some birthday
Annie Willis Mccullough.
The Adverb Game.