Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1902-06-25
Under The Apple Trees.
BY E. Broes Van Heekeren.

A dust covered cart on the, highway,
horse and master alike in their en-
deavors to compromise with sleep;
there was world of regret in the way
Billy raised his forelegs, and his head.
At the crossroads Dave drew the
rein sharply, to Billys discontinue,
and his next surprise lay in the fact OF
his being stopped in front of cottage,
a strange little cottage to him, and
one almost hidden from view oy the
overgrowth of tangled vines.
With laboring determination Dave
seat a square box, marked and re-
marked with foreign stamps and la
bells; then he re-adjusted his specta-
clcs and read the inscription: Miss
Margaret Harway, UnionVille, N. c."
Eggs and hominy!" Dave ex-
claimed, in lieu OF mightier oath.
what's coming to the old lady? Hain't
seen her nigh on to ten years; may be
she do be afraid of her complexion"
Dave chuckled softly to himself. "They
say the house is haunted; it's mighty
queer, hiding herself with that slip of
a girl"
BY this time lie had passed the gate,
which stood, by will or otherwise, hos
pitably open, stumbled through the
thick matted grass. and finally reached
the door. 1t was cooler there, for no
sunlight could penetrate the heavy TO-
liage; the appreciative spiders had
hung their fantastic drawn work
around. the porch, while the musty
smell of rotting timbers excluded the
sweeter odors natural to the country.
Although Dave tried to adjust his
rheumatic old knuckles to a mere tap,
the sound echoed and re-echoed
through the house as though intent
upon hearing and presently the door
was opened, the rusty hinges creaking
and groaning in their unusual effort.
Whatever fear Dave may have felt
before. it was unmistakable terror now
that seized him and held him an un-
willing prey, for the face that returned
his fascinated gaze was drawn and
| haggard and as colorles as marble.
The eyes-Dave never forgot to his
dying day that look Of horror realized,
of death, dead hopes and unutterahle
woe.
"At last! At last!" she moaned. "At
last, to find rest! Oh, God, at last, at
last!" Then, without further ado, she
droped motionless at Dawes feet
Dawes kindly nature getting the bet
ter of his fear, he knelt beside the
PROSTATE woman and raised her head.
eff I had sup of water" he said,
looking helplessly around.
But before he had come to any cor
clusion she made an effort to rise, and
with Dawes assistance slowly stood
upon her feet and leaned against the
wall, trembling in every limb.
Suddenly from above came the
sound of quick step, then burst of
song that died away in the distance;
but it seemed to excite the woman to
action.
Quick! Quick!" she said, opening
the door of small closet. "Put the
the" motioning with her thin,
shaking hand toward the box.
AS Dave did her bidding and drew
back, she took the key from the lock
and dropped it into her pocket, a look
of relief coming into her haggard face,
to be replaced the next moment by one
of anxiety and fear, for from above
came again that voice, singing some
long forgotten song. With her finger
on her lips, she gently pushed the very
willing Dave toward the door. Poor
lady! it was very gentle push, for she
was still shaken by the force of her
emotions AS to Da,. he never
turned when the door closed, not he!
With speed that indicated happy re-
lease, he hurried down the untrodden
path to the more cheerful company OF
Billy.
Margaret Harway stood still where
he left her, trying to recover her
strength, then, cropping her Way
toward a door, opened it and vanished
within. Almost at the same moment
there came down the stairs young
girl of some 90 years; she had win
some face, but her full glory lay in the
rolls Of beautiful hair piled high on
her shapely head, and held in place by
an odd shaped comb. One forgot to
criticise the fashion in wonder at her
beauty,
"Godmother, did you call? l thought
I heard--Godmother, where are
you?"
For moment she stood irresolute,
then with shrug of her shoulders.
passed on to the kitchen. Here it was
less comfortless; the low ceiling was
crossed with heavy rafters; the win
dows opened on tiny kitchen garden,
and by the door Margaret stood, look
ing out upon the scene, the red sun
descending amid a glory Of golden COL
or that promised heat on the morrow.
To Evangeline what a world lay be-
yond the broken old palings that had
at one time fenced in their narrow lot
"a world of laughter and song, peo-
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rous nature, or honor and noble deeds!
From childhood she had known no
other home but that of her godmother.
Margaret had taught her all she knew,
and nature supplied the rest as she
wandered through wood and meadow,
for she was an apt pupil.
1t was while on one of these trips
that she met Paul Dainway, an artist,
Of no mean ability, and. like herself,
alone in the world. Irresistibly they
were drawn to each other, and before
many summer days bad passed they
had plighted their troth in the good
old-faShioned way that cannot be i'm
proved upon.
EvangeIine kept this eclet from her
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