Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-04
doors. and devouring flame fOllOweth at


That's Johnny Appleseed,' said Skene-
donk, turning in his saddle
What is Johnny Appleseed?"
HE is a man that God has touched, .
said Skenedonk, using the aboriginal
phrase that signified a man clouded in
mind.
God had hidden him. too. could see
no one The voice echo still went on
among the trees.
''Where is hep
''Maybe one side, maybe the other"
Does he never show himseh2''
ooh, yes" Sl5enedonk said. He goes
to all the settlements. have often seen
him when was hunting on these grounds.
He came to our camp. He loves TO sleep
outdoors better than in cabin
why does he shout at us like proph-
et?"
ITO warn us that the Indians are on
the warpath."
oHe might have thought we were on
the warpath ourselves"
Johnny Appleseed knows Shawanoes
and Tecumseh's men"
The trees, lichened on their north sides,
massed rank behind without betraying
any face in their gloom. The Ohio and
Indiana forests had a nameless quality.
They might have been. called home-for-
ests. such invitations issued from them to
man seeking a spot of his own. Nor can
I make clear what this invitation was.
It produced thoughts different from those
that men were conscious Of in the rugged
northwest.
II think myself" said skenedonlx. as
we moved farther from the invisible voice.
that he is under vow. But nobody
told me that
why do you think so?''
'sIe plants orchards in every fine open
spot: or clears the land for planting where
he thinks the soil is right"
Don't other mem plant orchards?'
mo They have not time. or seed.
They plant bread. He does nothing but
plant orchards"
HE must have great many"
They are not for himself. The apples
are for any one who may pass by when
they are ripe He wants 20 give apples
to everybody. Animals often nibble the
bark or break down his young trees It
takes long for them to grow. But he
keeps on planting
eff other men have no seeds to- plant,
how does he get them?'
''He makes journeys TO the old settle
ments, where many orchards have grown
and brings the seeds from ciderpresses-
He carries them from Pennsylvania on
his back in leather bags, bag for each
kind of seed
mot often. Johnny Appleseed cares
nothing for money. I believe he is under
a vow of poverty. No one langhs at him.
The tribes on these grounus would not
hurt a hair of his head not only because
God has touched him, but because he
plants apples. 1 have eaten his apples
myself"
Johnny Appleseedr' repeated. and
Skenedonk FASTENED to tell me:
HE has another name. but 1 forget it.
He is called Johnny Appleseed.'
The slim and scarcely perceptible tun-
mel, among trees. piled win fallen logs
and newly sprung growth, let us into
wide clearing as suddenly as a stream
finds its lake We could not see even the
usual COW tracks A cabin shedding light
from its hearth surprised US IN the midst
of stumps.
The door stood wide. A woman walked
back and forth over a puneheon floor.
tending supper. Dogs rushed to meet us,
and the playing of children could be heard.
A man, gun in hand stepped to his door,
sentinel. He lowered its muzzle, and
made us welcome and helped us put our
horses under shelter with his own.
1t was not often we had a woman's
handiwork in corn bread and game to feed
ourselves upon, or a bed covered with
homespun sheets.
/ slept as the children slept until
voice rang in the clearing:
1.-The spirit Of the Lord is upon me,
and He hath Amounted me to blow the
trumpet in the wilderness, and sound an
alarm in the forest; for behold the tribes
of the heather are around about your
doors, and devouring flame followeln
after them!"
Every sleeper in the cabin sat upright
or stirred. We said in whispered chorus:
Johnny Appleseed!''
A tapping. light and regular on the
window, followed. The man was on the
floor in a breath. 1 heard the mother
cropping among the children, and whisper
ing:
Don't wake the babyl"
The fire had died upon the hearth. and
they lighted no candle. When Johnny
gave his warning cry in the
clearing, and his cautious tap on the
window, and was instantly gone to other
clearings and other windows. IL meant
that the Indians were near.
SSenedonk and I. used TO the night
alarm and boots and saddle In hurry
put ourselves in readiness to help the
family. I CROPPED for clothing. and showed
small legs and arms into it. The little
creatures, obedient and silent, made no
whimper at being reused out OF dreams.