Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-10-04
"Where the Apple ReddenS. y

turned down and shading her bright
face. was CT white calico and be-
iouged properly to a young brother.
Her pink cotton dress had paid re-
Ceated visits to the wash-tub. and, TO
the critical eye, was nearing the peri
I'd when yet another Tubing would
be advisable She would have said
she was horribly untidy-not fit 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
very wisely put that also into words.
That's very prettily said.' she
laughed. ''No-don't go on. / am not
such a hoyden but that know the
correct and only answer. only like"
she nodded her mouth, her distract
ing mouth, TO pensiveness-"compli-
ments that might be true"
Mine all are, when addressed to
you,' he fastened 10 declare.
Then they are more like bare state
ments of facts than copliments. aren't
they?" she smiled up at him, land not
SpCOsdlis W jun NiCAAe.
Greatly to yours he insisted.
'-since your charms leave no margin
fer establishment"
''Oh, that is sweetly said!" she
cried. Don't please, say any more,
for you cannot better that"
But ! 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. | could
not help il. And you neither of you
srokc-at a:.y rate, you didn't. So
you see what you can do if you try"
1T was ste-who had been trying
be said, in nournfulness.
Had she? Poor yor-she looks 3
little like that" She pulled herself
mp with a pretty affectation of alarm.
What am | saying? oh. beg your
pardon, She looks as nice as can 3e
she can lie. II was you who looked
put out
Il had reason to look Il.
NO Doubt mean she must have
had some Irason for letting you looS
it."
she could not help being"
Poor thing-so weak? ] mean,
bound to slch a tyrant!"
Il 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, Il didn't fol-
low you out here to talk of her"
We'll. then, suggest a topic-I'm
only waiting"
While she still waited she looked
mp at the laden apple tree under
which they stood. She seemed TO be
selecting, with the eye of connois-
seur, but it may have been the blue
and white patches of cloud-Aecked
sky seen through the branches which
held her attention. He gazed at her.
BILE moment during the brief week he
had known her, and always with the
same sense of pleasure in the picture
she made. II was true she was only
the half-educaied, untidy, pleasure
loving daughter 1.-THE adjectives had
been supplied for him. of the IMPROVE
dent. comfortable farmhouse where he
h h4 - - r.
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 no. need to have
supplied for him.
Il came out meaning 70 pick-we.l,
several. not hundreds quite of apples"
said she, land | can't reach one"
There is something ! might do for
you" be said, Selling his opportunity,
or trying TO seize il. For. try as he
would, neither could he reach an ap-
PIE.
81 tell you what--that lowest branch
there; il has four beauties on it. If
you were to-" She looked up at
HIM, smiled, looked down again, pen
sively up at the coveted branch, with
a sidelong glance like a fash at him,
and then down once more. But she
did not conclude her sentence.
IF 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 want them so,"
Then / may"
Certainly not. Ia rather-go
without the ap2les,"
Il am much stronger" he said.
How if seized you against your
will?"
why, couldn't help that, could 70"
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
a sharp note in her voice like the
taste of an unripe apple) which told
them what she saw.
III 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 oil
the delights he had anticipated.
Now. she said, when she was or
her feet again. go quickly Oh pool