Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1900-01-09
IN IHE apple ORCHARD.
How a Professor Made Lovo and a
Mistake at the Same Time.


oooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Fedora, in her long, white apron and
big sun hat, color box and palette in
hand, sauntered out into the orchard
and sat down under the shade of an
apple tree. A light breeze stirred the
boughs, on which the sunlight cleaned
in great gold patches, and countless
song birds darted- from limb to limb,
making the air vocal with their music.
One plump, red breasted fellow
perched himself directly in front of
Fedora and with head on one side re
garded her intently.
The girl returned his gaze first with
amusement, then with interest and
fnally with sudden inspiration. She
selected crayon from her box and
deXterously jotted down a few out
lines. Then she consulted the bright
bits of color she had placed ON her
palette and with a sweep here and
there of her long paint brush trans
ferred the nucleus of her small feather
ed observer to a sketch card. She held
it up to the light and looked at it crit
ically for n moment, then laid it on
the long grass beside her and leaned
lack against the trunk OF the tree, her
hands crossed loosely behind her head,
her eyes resting in dreamy contempla-
tion on the cleaning fields beyond.
Above her the faint rustIipg of the
wind in the leaves drowned the silence.
Presently a shadow cut across the
glimmering sunlight. Fedora glanced
up, and a faint color tinged her cheeks.
1t was the professor.
''If you are too busy he began,
looking down at her a little obviously.
"Oh, no." she broke in quickly, smil-
ing up at him as she spoke. 81 am
never busy" Fedora prided herself
upon that accomplishment, DO sit
down" she went on, with bright
look, pointing to the grassy plot oppo-
site her. The professor hesitated for
a moment. then suddenly complied
with the request.
"a nice day." he remarked careless
ly as he sat down.
Charming" returned Fedora, sur
veying him, With smile. 1t had sud
denly dawned upon her that the pro-
fessor was n singularly good looking
man to be SO old-almost 40. And in
spite of his twoscore years she found
herself looking with approval, almost
admiration, into his deep. clear eyes,
above which the thick masses of brown
hair waved back from an intellectual
forehead. (AH professors have intel
lectuaI foreheads.)
II don't like to interrupt you" he
said, with n doubtful glance at the in
cipient sketch and Fedora's small
paint stained fingers, but there is
something wanted to say" he went
on, tugging at his watch charm.
Really" She gave little cough
and turned her eyes expectantly upon
him.
"Its-it's important" faItered the
professor awlzwardly, meeting her
gaze.
Fedora broke into little soft laugh,
and two dimples came into her face.
whats the matter?" he said, look
ing at her in astonishment, suspicion
arising in his mind that he was being
reated with unnecessary leyity.
you looked $3.50 serious" she re-
piled, with such charming little GRIM
ace and n look SO profoundly innocent
that the professor Immediately dis
missed his suspicion as unworthy.
"If you don't mind, though" he pur-
sued, little uneasily, his eyes on her
face. Il would rather you would not
that you would be little serious
''Yes. certainly" assented Fedora,
with alacrity, pulling a straight face,
but with n glimmer of smile showing
about her mouth. Then the professor
cleared his throat and went on with
slight hesitation.
81 have proposition" He stopped
short and looked at her in helpless
sort of way.
"Ah, / see." she exclaimed, with n
merry laugh. And you want the-hy-
pothesis?"
Precisely So" returned the profess
or, his face Frightening. He thought
that his task would not be a difficult
one with such an appreciative young
woman
and now to the point" he contin-
ued, giving her a serious look.
"a point indicates mere position and
has no magnitude" !" interposed Fedora
fippant1y.
Il suppose not" replied the professor
with slight sternness. But it is not a
problem in geometry this time" he
concluded, the CLINT of smile hover
ing about his lips. his voice calm.
OH exclaimed the girl with wide
eyes. as she folded both hands in her
lap and fixed upon him a look of grave
attention.
He shifted his position little. pulled
at a tuft of grass, then looked across
at her with sudden resolution and
poke, Suppose a-manY-
The professor stopped short and
cleared his throat again in diseon-
certed sort of way
Fedora met his gaze with a mis-
ehievous smile and chewed the end. of
her long paint brush.
.'Well?'' she said, dropping her chin
into one small hand