Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-06-07
EVE and
an APPLE.

Eve lived at No. so, and at No. 81,
am not sure where the apple lived,
but it was at one OF the two. It hung
on high branch over No. 52's gar
den, but it fatted on the soil of No. "a,
for which I paid rent.
1t was Eve, of course, who called
my attention to it. 1 heard her voice
through the open window. She has
an attractive voice.
"Oh, look, mother!" she cried.
''There is my apple"
'Hush, dear! 1t isn't your apple
at all. 1t belongs to the people next
door,"
HE isn't people," objected Eve. I
am a bachelor.
Anyhow, the apple is his"
rs lt?" She tossed her head. She
has a graceful way OF tossing her
head. "Then he shan't have it. Mr..
Layton gave it to me every year. !"
Mr.. Layton was my predecessor "You
know he always lent me his ladder to
get it," felt inclined to offer my
ladder there and then, but the time,
like the apple, was not ripe.
grew in size and beauty. Eve watched
the apple, and l watched Eve. She
was so nice TO watch that / did not
offer her the forbidden fruit. I re-
garded it as a hostage for her regular
appearance.
"Look at its rosy cheeks, motherr'
she used to say. teasingly. "If it gets
much bigger it must drop" She
made motions expressing rapture.
"Eve, dear" her mother protested,
'you know it isn't yours.
cit would be ii 1 had a ladder. 3"
Then she would give merry little
laugh. She has charming way of
laughing.
The apple still hung on, however,
and grew and grew. In the dusk OF
evening Eve tried to reach it with a
clothes prop-at least it looked like
Eve. l knew it was clothes prop,
because she let it drop over my wall,
and it smashed three panes of a
cucumber frame Next morning she
happened to be in the garden, so l
returned it with grave ceremony.
'I-Tm afraid it broke something, I"
she apologized.
''Not in the least" assured her.
''I'll tell Mary Jane not to stand it
up against your wall again." she
promised mendaciously.
After that the apple blushed more
furiously than ever. 1t was SO ripe
that it was marvellous how it held on,
l heard her say She was probably
Al;
night and secured it with fine wire.
Next.she tried knocking tennis balls
OF it. OF course, she never went
within a couple of yards. / picked
up nine balls next morning and re-
stored them to her.
''I thought they were windfalls
from my apple tree" L said, and she
fed indoors.
81 believe he was laughing at me, -
I heard her tell her mother. 'Now,
1 will have it."
"No, no, dear! I forbid you to
touch it. It's no use looking like that,
Eve. I shall be really cross if you
do"
When I came home that evening the
apple was still there, in all it's glory,
but when it grew dusk 1 noticed
maneuvers with the prop going on
once more. Finally heard cry OF
triumph, and the rustic of her skirts
as she ran indoors. Then I went out.
l climbed the tree, gathered about
a gallon of apples and sent them III
with note.
"Dear Madam trust you will
accept few apples from my tree
overhanging your garden, as l notice
that there is only one upon your side.
''I have, however, special reason
for desiring that one. May I enter
your garden to gather it? Yours very
truly, FRANK NEwToN.
In few minutes Sarah Ann re-
turned with Mrs. Parker's thank s, and
an assurance that she would bt
pleased for me to gather the apple
whenever liked. So, after putting
the ladder over the wall, went rount
to their front door and knocked.
was shown into a cozy sitting room
Mrs. Parker received Inc very pleasant
ly, but Miss Eve was rather quiet, al
young lady should be.
"You will be surprised at m,
bothering you about single apple,
/ said "The fact is / want it for SOM
one who has particularly admired it.
''We have noticed, "said her mothe
with side glance at Eve, "that it il
q singularly fine apple"
can ptionally fine apple"
agreed. ''It would be almost impos
sible to match it.
81 should like to SEQ it when yo
have picked it" Mrs. Parker con
fessed. Eve said nothing. She ar
peared to have become absorbed in
book.
s.I'll bring it in at once. II promised