Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-06-06
Adam and Eve i'm
the Orchard ~
BY EVELYN WELLS.

IT WAS the fault of the agents who
sold the property twice over. A
rambling ruin, surrounded by a para
disc in the Italian style, with terraced
gardens and a fight of stone steps,
the bowers over which the roses threw
their long caressing arms; a place
sun-fooded by day, but a night dim
shadowland, inha bited by spirits that
flew about in the guise of strange, mis-
shapen birds-a garden full of incon-
gruities, for right in the heart of it
was planted an orchard.
Fate must have looked on, smiling
grimly at the jest, when both proprie-
tors arrived simultaneously at the vii
lage inn, full of the intention of restor-
ing their newly acquired property.
o He had caught a glimpse of the lady
(the widow of rich landowner) the
morning after his arrival, and from
the first moment his artist soul had
fallen worshiping before the flame of
her red hair.
But her first glimpse of him had been
in the garden when he came across her
standing beneath the apple tree, one
arm outstretched to pluck the rosy
g fruit which from time imm orial
had held an attraction for her sex.
The glorious head, devoid of cover
ing, was thrown back; one long, rich
strand of hair had flown like thin
flame across the dim purple of her
cotton gown. 1t was a picture to in
toxicate, and calculated to turn a
steadier head than the one upon his
youthful shoulders. He came towards
her, greeting in every gesture of his
outstretched hands, and the one word
that described the stiffness of the gar
den was eve" 1t came thrilling
through space, it arrested her atten-
ton and held her captive to him in
establishment. How did this stranger
know her name?
In her surprise she half responded
to it, but convention raised its head,
serpent-like, and her shadow-gray eyes
flashed green with wonder and indig-
nation that a stranger should dare to
intrude upon her privacy and address
her in this familiar way.
He saw the look and grasped the
situation Quickly the explanation
came:
ga egarden-and a woman-the APP
2 piles helped to heighten the picture
hence the exclamation"
"A smile quivered on her lips. He
could have sworn he caught lurking
merriment in those eyes; but again
the serpent asserted itself.
81 prefer my Eden Adamless," she
3asaid, sweeping past him, with never
so much as backward glance.
He merely repeated the final syllable
of his new-found name, maybe by way
of not forgetting it.
On the morrow they met again.
This time by the old white wall that
faced the south, covered, vine-like,
with tomato foliage.
"Apples again. Apples of love-" he
said by way of greeting, as he pointed
to the half-ripe fruit that nestled hid
fngsin it's wall of leaves.
She cast a curious glance at them,
smiling at his use of the homely name.
"Green as yet" was the somewhat
chilly comment as she gathered up her
purple gown:
"Ah! but they will ripen. All they
want is time" he called after her.
On the third day she discovered him
with earth-stained hands busy in the
gardeil .eShe stood a while unpereeived,
; a critical spectator. Youth sat lightly
upon him, strength manifested itself
in every movement; the whole was
pleasing even to her fastidious soul.
She forgot to resent the easy assur-
ance that even while it piqued her at
tracted her.
Curiosity struggled with convention
atty. The woman in her encouraged
the former, so that its victory was an
easy one.
The serpent hid its bruised head and
slumbered. Then:
care you the gardener" she inter-
rogated.
He scarcely noticed the insolence of
the query; all he was conscious of was
Eve had come, the garden suddenly
was glorified.
adam delving amongst the sol" he
quoted, f1inging his tool aside and
sinking on the grass at her feet.
The aptness of the quotation pleased
her.. his audacity disarmed her; she
felt as if she were standing on the
brink of the precipice called Excite
ment. The serpent slept.
Let it. sleep on said Eve, with
youth racing through her veins. After
all, what is the good of being in Eden
if one does not taste the sweetness OF
forbidden fruit?
The bank was tempting resting
place; hunting in the orchard and by
the south wall had been firing work.