Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-08-04
THE STORY OF THE APPLE
TREE.
[Jennctte Lee in The outlook

GRANDPA Tobey sat In the Kitchen door.
The October sun shone in warm and
sweet; but there was a hint of GOODNESS
In the air. Grandma Tobey, as she moved
about the room washing the breakfast
dishes and putting them away, felt It..
She glanced now and then toward the
open door
'Aint you 'frald you'll ketch cold, pa?
she asked. She came over to where he
sat and looked down at him little anx-
iously
mo, 1 shan't" He shut his small lips
close and casped his hands on the top of
his cane, leaning forward to peer past
her out the door
What you looking for pap she asked.
''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 meekly.
Il 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.
ITS much as forty years you've KEEP
1t up" she went on, her voice raising.
'Forty-seven," said the old man. quick
| ly. Forty seven this spring that tree
| begun bearin"
She nodded slowly "Forty-seven year
and two old men IKE you a-quarrelin
and a-ightin' 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. Il don reckon
| Roger got more'n bushel m a half of
his'n." He chuckled feebly.
She looked at him with meek stern
ness
Two bushel of apples amt worth
forty -seven year Of fightin'," she said.
virtuously. 1T would be different II
| ole
ed away and ratified among the tins over
the sink-"and you and Roger brought up
together like brothers"
There he Is" said the old man, excited
ly. He's coming. Gimme my basket"
He stretched out a 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 handed
1t to him. 1t was a peck basket with a
swinging handle. The worn rim was
mended with stout cord.
She looked at 1t regretfully. IT'S tur-
rible old" she said. Il meant to got to
1t to mend II some more fore you'd hev
to use it. You be keerful OF 1t, pa
The old man made no reply. He seized
the handle in his knotted fingers and
stumped away down the path to the well.
At the well he branched or toward a
! huge apple-tree. 1t was a beautiful tree.
among which the red apples glowed
They be the best apples in the world.
sighed Grandma Tobey. She stood in the
door, watching the bent figure hobble
swiftly toward the stone wall. The apple
tree stood in the middle OF the wall, part
OF its branches overhanging the lot on
one side and part on the other.
The lot adjoining was a large one.
stretching back, through orchard and
meadow, toward a big house in the dis
lance. The white gable could be dlmly
seen through the trees.
From this house a figure was advancing
with swift strides. Grandma Tobey
shaded her eyes with her hand and gazed
at II wistfuly.
He don't grow old n mite" she muir
INJURED. Them Talcotts never do. It's
in the stock. There. now they're at It.
/ do wish't Ethan wouldn't be so rash
He's nothing but an old man. He hadn't
OF o be climbin trees his time of life
Ethanv' Her feeble voice rose shrilly
But the sound failed TO reach the wall
where two old men confronted each other
You goin' up?' demanded Grandpa
Tobey
Not without you do" responded the
other, politely. age first"
Grandpa Tobey snorted. ''Ef had as
many apples as you hev, Roger Talcott-'
He pointed a trembling finger toward 1.-THE
distant orchard. 1t glowed coolly, green
and red and yellow. in the hazy light.
The old man turned and gazed at II
blandly. Yes, it's a good orchard" he
acquiesced But there are no blue pear
mains in 1t. Mrs. Talcotts especially
fond OF blue pearmains' He reached uT
a smooth hand and plucked an apple
from the bough above his head. gazing
at it fondly. There's nothin quite SO
good as blue pearmain. Is there?" he
asked, suggestively, after n pause
mo there amt rptOrtad Ethan
An l should think you'd be ashamed
Roger Talcott, a-stealin' from the mouth
Of the poor"
The other raised a white, deprecating
hand. ''Tut-tut--tut-tut. Ethan!" he said
reprovingly. Not stealing. No harsh
words. Not stealingv'
"Wuss'n stealin', " grumbled Ethan
His red eyes were fixed enviously on the
plump apple in the smooth hand.
Roger Taleott looked at 1t contempla-
lively. He rubbed 1t gently on the sleeve
of his coat. The red skin glowed trans
parently in its blush tinge. He raised II
to his lips and set his big teeth firmly into
1t. A look OF satisfaction overspread his
face as he chewed
THE tree is mine" he said He took
another bite 1T was in the deed
you signed 1t yourself, Ethan-aI the
farm, except the house lot, including trees
planted on the division line"
Ethan WINGED a little. His eyes sought
the red branches. II forgot bout the
pearmains when signed" ne said feebly
Il want quite myself them days, Roger
Ye hedn't OF o hold me too tight to what
! signed"
You were drunk a good DEAL II that's
what you mean" said the other. sternly
"Squandered your substance"
Ethan Strengthened himself. flush
Redeemed the wrinkled face. well. I amt
drunk now, and l hain't been for forty
year; and l kin tell you one thing. Roger
Talcott. You've got a heart o. fiint-a
heart like n stun WALL" His eye rested
on the wall between them. Lawyer Grid
ley's tole me the law, he added wrath
fully. II kin claim every apple that falls
on this side o. that" He laid his hand
impressively on the gray stones and glared
at his companion.
you can not" The old man glared
back.
Ethan nodded his head slowly you
try and see. I've done II forty-seven
year, and I'll do 1t every year till die"
They stood for fun minute, confront
Ing each other slowly. Then they wheeled
about, back to back. Roger Talcott be-
gan gathering the apples that hung
from the lower limbs. Ethan reached
up and shook the limb cautiously. Some
of the apples that fell he caught in his
hands as they dropped. Others he
scrambled about for, on his hands and
knees. When his basket was filled, he
sat down feebly with his back to the