River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-09-25
Where the
Apple Reddens
By L. PARRY TRUScoTT.

TIER hair was windblown; her hat,
turned down and shading her
bright face, was of white calico and
belonged properly to young broth
err. Her pink cotton dress had paid
repeated visits to the wash tub, and,
to the critical eye, was nearing the
period when yet another Tubing
would be advisable. She would have
said she was horribly untidy-not ut
to be seen; in fact, she said it.
He considered, and rightly, that
she was so exceptionally blessed as
to look delicious in anything, and
he wisely put that also into words.
That's prettily said," she laughed.
"No-don't go on. am not such
hoyden but that know the correct and
only answer / only like"-she
nodded her mouth to pensiveness--
compliments that might be true"
mine all are when addressed to
you," he hastily declared.
"Then they are more like bare
statements of facts than compli-
ments, aren't they?" she smiled up
at him, land not specially to your
credit"
Greatly to yours" he insisted,
"since your charms leave no margin
for establishment"
80, that is sweetly said!" she cried.
'Don't, please, say any more, for
you cannot better that!"
l. l.
jected.
''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, I could
not help it. And you neither of you
spoke-at any rate, you didn't. So
you see what you can do if you
try"
at was she-who had been trying"
he said, in mournfulness.
Had she? Poor you-she looks a
little like that She pulled herself
up with a pretty affectation of
alarm. "What am I saying. o, I beg
your pardon! She looks as nice as
can be-she can be. 1t was you who
looked put out"
II had reason to look it,
mo Doubt mean she must have
had some reason for letting you look
it,"
"She could not help"
Poor thing-so weak? I mean,
81 give her her own way in every
thing"
She flashed round on him with her
most provoking smile.
"How horrible tame of you!" she
said. mo wonder she has lost inter
est in her-your looks!"
after ALL" he said, 81 didn't follow
YOU out here to talk of her"
"Well, then, suggest a 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 connois-
seur, Tut it may have been the blue
and white patches of cloud-1eclled
sky seen through the branches
which held her attention. He gazed
at her. He had been so gazing every
available moment during the brief
week ne 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, I'M
tidy, pleasure-loving daughter (the
adiectives had been supplied for
him) Of the improvident, 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.
''I came out meaning to say a hun
dred things to you," he said at last,
"and cannot think of one
81 came out meaning to pick-well,
several, not hundreds quite, of APP
pies" said she, land I can't reach
one
There is something l might do for
YOU" he said, selling his opportun-
ity, or trying TO seize it. For, try as
he would, neither could he reach an
apple.
II tell you what-that lowest
branch there; it has four beauties on
it. If you were to" She looked
M at him, smiled, looked down again,
pensively up at the coveted branch,
with a sidelong glance like a flash
at him, and then down once more.
But she did not conclude her SEN
tence.
''If you would let me-if you'd only
let me lift you up" he said, suddenly
inspired, you could reach them
yourself, couldn't you?"
"Ah! That would do it, wouldn't
it? And 1 want them so!''
Then 1 may?'
Certainly not! I'd rather go
without the apples!"
81 am much stronger" he said.
SLOW if I seized you against your
WHIP
''Why, I couldn't help that, could
u" she asked. And the thing was