Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1902-11-19
"Where the Apple ReddenS.
'vvyyvv.vv.wvvwvv

longed properly to young brother.
| Her pinl: cotton dress had paid re-
reatcd visits TO the wash-tub, and, TO
| the critical eye, was nearing the peri
cd when yet another Tubing would
be advisable. She would have said
she was horribly untidy--not fit TO DC
stem; in fact, size said it.
lie considered, and rightly, that she
| was so exceptionally blessed as to
| look delicious in anything, and he
very wisely put that also into words.
That's very prcttily said" she
laughed. 'No-don't go or. am not
| such hoyden but that | know the
correct and only answer. l only like
she nodded her mouth, her distract
| iug mouth, 10 pensiveness- comp!l'
merits that might be true"
"Minc all are, when addressed to
you he hastencd to declare.
Then they are more like bare state
ments Of facts than copiiments, aren't
tlcx?" she smiled up ut him, land not
specially to your credit"
Greatly tc yours, he insisted,
"since your charms leave no margin
for establishment.
oh that is sweetly said!" she
cried. Den: please, say any more,
for you cannot better that"
But I. can't stand num-" he OBJ.
iected.
"You can sit in silence, though"
"What do you mean?'
"Last night. at dinner, at your lady
loves side. ! was watching YOU
being opposite and with no one but
a brother to speak to myself, l could
not help it. And you neither of you
spohc-,at a:.y rate. you didn't. So
you sec what you can 90 if you try
'.It was sEe-who had been trying. ,
he said, i'll mournfulness.
"Had she? Poor yor-she looks
little like that" She pulled herself
mp with pretty affectation of alarm.
What am l saying? On, l beg your
pardon She looks as nice as can DC
she can II l.. 1t was you who looked
put out
81 had a reason to look it.
mo Doubt mean she must have
had some wason for letting you LOOK
It,"
"She could not help being
Poor thing-so weak? l mean,
Lound to silch tyrant!'
81 give her her own way in every
thing"
She flashed round on him with her
most provoking smile.
"How horribly tame Of you!" she
said. mo wonder she has lost inter-
est in her-your looks!"
"After ALL" he said, 81 didn't fol-
low you out here to talk of her"
"Well. then, suggest topic-I'm
only waiting"
While she still waited she looked
up at the laden apple tree under
which they stood. She seemed to be
selecting, with the eye of q 'connois-
seur, but it may have been the blue
and white patches of cloud-tlecked
sky seen through the branches which
held her attention. He gaZcd at her
He had been so gazing every availa-
bic moment during the brief week he
had known her, and always with the
same sense of pleasure in the picture
she made. 1t was true she was only
the half-educated, untidy, pleasure
loving daughter (the adjectives had
been supplied for him) of the improvi-
dent, comfortable farmhouse where he
and his mother and the girl he was
engaged to were staying as paying
guests, but he saw no reason in this
why he should not admire her for
the qualities he did not need to have
supplied for him.
81 came out meaning TO picE-well,
several, not hundreds quite of apples" T"
said she, "and l can't reach one"
There is something l might do for
you," be said, seizing his opportunity
or trying to seize it. For, try as he
would, neither could he reach an ap-
pie.
81 tell you what--that lowest branch
there; it has four beauties on it. If
you were to-" She looked up at
him, smiled, looked down again, pen
sivelv UP at the coveted branch, with
a sidalong glance like flash at him,
and then down once more. But she
! did not conclude her sentence.
eff you would let me-if you'd only
; let me lift you up," he said, suddenly
inspired, you could reach them your
self, couldn't you?"
"Ah! That would do it, wouldn't
il? And l want them sol"
"Then I may"
Certainly not! I'd rather-go
without the apples!"
81 am much stronger" he said.
"How if l seized you against your
will"
"Why, couldn't help that, could ~"
she asked. And the thing was done
in less time than it takes to tell.
But she had only picked one apple,
the nearest, when his lady-love's
voice came to them through the trees,
calling him by name. And there was
q sharp note in her voice Clike the
taste of an unripe apple) which told
them what she saw.
If you put me down before I've
picked the four I'll never forgive you,"
said the lady Of the apples; so he
held her till she had them all, though
the task was robbed of full half of
the delights he had anticipated.
"Now, she said, when she was on
her feet again, $50 quickly Oh, poor
you."
"She'll cast me off" he said.
II should-if were shc!"
And then he turned in haste.
But, if she does, come back to
me-" she called after him.