The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-20

Grandpa Tobey sat in the kitchen
door. The October sun shone in warm
and sweet; but there was hint Of
GOODNESS in the air. Grandma Tobey,
as she moved about the room washing
the breakfast dishes and putting them
away, felt 1t. She glanced now and
then toward the open door.
"Aint you 'fraid you'll ketoh cold,
pa?" she asked. She came over to
where he sat and looked down at him
little anXiously.
mo, I sha'n't." He shut his small
lips close and clasped his hands on the
top of his cane, leaning forward to peer
past her out the door.
What you looking for, pa7" she ask
ed.
"Nothin' much" The old mouth set
closer.
She sighed a little and moved away
to the stove. She put in a stick of wood
and folded her hands across her apron,
looking at him reproachfully and meek
ly.
'T should think you'd be ashamed
two old men like you," she said. Her
voice quavered with sternness.
The old head by the door did not
turn.
TITS much as forty years you've KEEP
1t up" she went on. her voice rising.
Forty seven" said the old man,
quickly. Forty seven this spring that
tree begun bearin."
She nodded slowly. 'Forty-seven
year-and two old men like you a-quar-
relin' and q f1ghtin' over which SHALL
hev the apples. There amt more'n a
bushel or so, anyway"
Two bushel off my side last year."
mumbled the old man. II don't reckon
Roger got more'n bushel N a halt
off his'n." He chuckled feebly.
She looked at him with meek stern
ness.
1.-TWO bushel Of apples amt worth
forty-seven year Of fghtin'," she said
virtuously. "It would be different II
Patience want my own sister"-she
turned away and ratified among the
tins over the sink-and you and Roger
brought up together like brothers."
There he u.s." said the old man. ex-
citedly. He's comm. Gimme my bas-
ket.' He stretched out knotted hand
and struggled to his feet. He reached
up for his cap on the nail by the door
"Jest hand me that basket" he said
- sternly.
She came across the room and hand
ed it to him. 1t was peck basket with
a swinging handle. The wofn rim was
mended with stout cord.
She looked at 1t regretfully. "It':
turlible DID," she said. II meant tt
got to it to mend 1t some more fore
you'd hev to use it. You be keerful o.
1t, pa"
The old man made no reply. He sefz.
ed the handle in his knotted fingers
and stumped away down the path tt
the well. the well he branched of
toward huge apple tree. 1t was {
beautiful tree, with wide spreading
green branches, among which the rec
apples glowed.
eThey be the best apples in the
world" sighed Grandma Tobey. sh,
stood in the door, watching the ben
figure hobble swiftly toward the ston,
wall. The apple tree stood in TIE mid
die of the wall, part of it's branches
overhanging the lot on one side anC
part on the other.
The lot adjoining was a large one
stretching back, through orchard ant
meadow toward a big house in the dis
lance The white gable could be diml.
seen through the trees.
From this house a figure was ad
vancing with swift strides Grandm;
Tobey shaded her eyes with her han'
and gazed at 1t wistfully.
"He don't grow old a mite" she muir
INJURED. Then Talcots never do. IT.
in the stock. There, now they're at 1t
! do wish Y Ethan wouldn't be 81
rash. He's nothin' but an old man. H