The Worthington advance., 1900-04-20
Eve and the Apple
BY Owen Oliver.
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I've and an apple overcame an an
cestor of mine. He would not have
wanted the apple, he said, but for
Eve. That was exactly my case.
Eve lived at No. 50 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 fattened on the soil of No.
81. for which paid rent
1t was Eve, of course, who called
my attention to it. l 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
an. 1t belongs to the people next
door,
He isn't people," objected Eve.
am Il bachelor.
"Anyhow, the apple is his.''
''Is 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."
MIR. Layton was my predecessor. You
know he always lent me his ladder to
get it," l 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 and beauty. Eve watched
the apple, and I watched Eve. She
was so nice to watch that I did not
offer her the forbidden fruit re-
garded it as hostage for her regu-
lar appearance.
Look at its rosy cheeks, mother!"
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"
1T would be if 1 had ladder"
Then she would give a merry little
laugh. She has a 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 Gu
cumber frame. Next morning she
happened to be in the garden, so 1
returned it with grave ceremony.
'I-1'm afraid it broke something"
she apologized.
"Not in the least" assured her.
"Hll tell Mary Jane not to stand it
up against your wall again." she prom
ised mendaciously.
After that the apple blushed more
furiously than ever. 1t was so ripe
that it was marvellous how it held on,
! heard her say. She was probably
unaware that l had climbed up one
night and secured it with fine wire.
Next she tried knocking tennis balls
at it. OF course, she never went with
in couple of yards. picked up nine
balls next morning and restored them
to her.
II thought they were windfalls
from my apple tree" I said, and she
fed indoors.
II believe he was laughing at me- ~
I heard her tell her mother. "Now, I
will have it,"
mo, no, dear! I forbid you to
touch it. It's no use looking like that,
Eve. shall be really cross with
you"
When came home that evening the
apple was still there, in all it's glory,
but when it grew dusk noticed ma
neuvers with the prop going on once
more. Finally l heard cry of tri-
umph, and the rustic of her skirts as
she ran indoors. Then I went out.
I climbed the tree, gathered about
gallon of apples, and sent them in
with a note.
''Dear Madam: I trust you will accent
few apples from my tree overhanging
your garden, as l notice that there Is only
one upon your side.
string that one. May I enter your garden
to gather 1t? Yours very truly.
FRANK NEWTON"
In few minutes Sarah Ann re-
turned with Mrs. Parker's thanks, and
pleased for me to gather the apple
whenever liked. So, after putting the
ladder over the wall, went round to
their front door and knocked. I was
q shown into a cozy sitting-room. Mrs
Parker received me very pleasantly
! but Miss Eve was rather quiet, as q
{ young lady should be.
"You will be surprised at my both
ering you about single APPLE" ]
said. 'The fact is I want it for some
b one who has particularly admired
it."
ln I'VE have noticed" said her moth
er, with q side glance at Eve, "that
It is singularly fine apple.''
IAN exceptionally fine APPLE" q