Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1900-06-08
EVE and
an APPLE.

cestor oil mine lie would not nave
wanted the apple, he said, but for
Eve. That was exactly my case.
Eve lived at No. so, and I at No. 81,
am not sure where the apple lived.
but II was at one of tho two II hung
on high branch over No. SOS gar.
den, but IL fatted on the soil OF No. 50,
for which paid rent.
II was Eve, OF course, who called
my attention to IT, heard her voice
through the open window. She has
an attractive voice.
"Oh, look, motherl" she cried.
There is my apple"
Flush, dearl II isn't your apple
at oil. 1t belongs to the people next
door,"
HE isn't people," objected Eve. I
am bachelor
anyhow, the apple is his"
us it?" She tossed her head. She
has 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.
AS the summer went on the apple
grew in size aud beauty. Eve watched
the apple, and / watched Eve. She
was so nice to watch that / did not
offer her the forbidden fruit re.
garded it as hostage for her regular
appearance.
Look at its rosy cheeks, motherr'
she used to say, teasingly. ''lf it gets
much bigger 1t must drop" She
made motions expressing rapture.
''Eve, DEAR" her mother protested,
''.you know II isn't yours.
s"It would be il I i.sa Nc ladder"
Then abe would ,give Assrv- liiii--
..I.ugh.< ,ss4s ilsssDs ~charni{hg way OF
Tho 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. knew it was clothes prop,
because she let 1t drop over my wall,
and IL smashed three panes of n
cucumber frame. Next morning she
happened to be In the garden, 80 l
returned it with grave ceremony.
"I-Pm afraid il broke something"
she apologi2ed.
''Not in the least" assured her.
'T'll tell Mary Jane not to stand il
mp against your wall again." she
promised mendaciously.
After that the apple blushed more
furiously than ever. II was so ripe
that II was marvellous how il held on,
i heard her say. She was probably
unaware that l had climbed up one
night aud secured it with fine wire.
Next.she tried knocking tennis balls
mt il OF course, she never went
within couple OF yards. I picked
mp nine balls next morning and re-
stored them to her.
81 thought they we're windfalls
from my apple tree" l said, aud she
fed indoors.
IL believe he was laughing at me-"
] heard her tell her mother. "Now,
i will have it,"
"No, no, dearl / forbid you to
toach IL. It's no use looking like that,
Eve. shall be really cross il you
do"
When came home that evening the
apple was still there, in all it's glory,
but when it grew dusk l noticed
maneuvers with the prop going on
once more. Finally heard cry of
triumph. and the rustic Of her skirts
rs she ran indoors. Then I went out.
/ climbed the tree. gathered about
a gallon of apples and sent them in
with note.
Dear Madam trust you will
accept n few apples from my tree
overhanging your garden, as notice
that there is only one upon your side.
II have, however, q special reason
for desiring that one. May I en,e.
your garden 10 gather itP Yours yery
truly, FRANK NEwroy.
In few minutes Sarah Ann re.
turned with Mrs. Parker's thanks, and
an assurance that she would be
pleased for me TO gather the apple
whenever liked. SO, after putting
the ladder over the wall, went round
10 their front door AMI knocked. II
was shown into cozy sitting.room.
Mrs. Parker received Inc very pleasant.
", but Miss Eve was rather quiet. as
young lady should he.
"You will be surprised at nv
bothering you about single apple"