Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-02
THE STORY Of JOHNNY APP.
PLESEED.

So that you may really know the pioneers
from whom the officers Of the forts take
their names, I am going to tell you each
month something about these old heroes.
This month you shall hear about the famous
forester. Jonathan Chapman, known and
loved in the wilderness as Johnny Apple
seed and Appleseed Johnny.
There was something doing when Johnny
was born, for 1t was in the same year as
the battle of Lexington, the capture of
Ticonderoga, the appointment of Washing
ton as commander-in-chief, the battle Of
Bunker Hill and the siege of Quebec, that
stork flew through the powder clouds and
battle smoke to Boston, and the little baby
boy was born. He opened his infant eyes
in stirring times, and no doubt stared in
wonder at the excited men he saw about
him bent on killing each other. 1t may
be that the bloody scenes of his babyhood
made lasting impression, or 1t may be
that in later years thoughtful study of the
writings of that great teacher, Emanuel
upon him. or it may be that this pure-mind-
ed. forgotten hero was sent by heaven to
teach the doctrine Of peace; but whatever
the cause, the fact remains that in the
wilderness Of the Ohio valley, where even
the Quakers were fighters. the only disciple
OF peace was Jonathan Chapman of Boston.
My own grandparents were among the
pioneers of the Ohio valley, and many an
CScIluS nave l Sat ny my grandmother
knee watching her busy knitting needles
and listening to the adventures of this
great man, who not only planted every open
glade of the wild forest with apple trees.
but also planted the seeds of his new faith
In the minds of the settlers.
With courage equal to that Of the
great Daniel Boone the famous Simon
Kenton. Appleseed Johnny traversed the
dark forests alone; but, unlike the other
men, he went unarmed; think Of that, boys
there was courage for you in days when
the woods were full of Indians and wild
animals. Once he crawled into a hollow
log for shelter. but finding 1t already oc-
cupied by two cub bears. rather than dis
turb the little animals. he crept out again
and made his bed in the leaves beside the
log. He was never known to purposely kill
a living creature, and he himself subsisted
on corn and mush or porridge. The forests
were infested with murderous savages, but
there was always welcome for Johnny at
their wigwam and village. The river banks
were the resorts Of desperate river pirates
who lived by robbing fiatboats and emf
grants, but every robbers den had cozy
corner for Johnny. The backwoodsmen's
cabins were small one-roomed log buildings
filled with children, but they were never
so crowded that hearty welcome and a
place by the ireside were not ready for
Appleseed Johnny. and cot or buffalo
robe ready for him when he chose to sleep
under their roofs.
Appleseed Johnny was highly educated
and cultured gentleman, but he dressed in
coffee sacking and pasteboard cap. He
did this not to be queer, but because when
he had any clothes that were fit to wear, he
gave them to some poor emigrant. Often
he had shoes, but just as often he took them
from his feet and gave them to some shoe
less pioneer settler whom he met on the
trail. 1t was clear that Johnny had money
because he always had bunch Of new rib
bons for the little tow-headed girls who ran
out to meet him from the lonely log cabins
in the dark forests
Coming to a log house he would enter
throw himself on the floor by the fire, and
pulling out some fragments Of the works
claim. Listen to the last message from
Godv and robber and honest settler alike
listened to the pioneer teacher.
From the cider press In Pennsylvania or
at Fort Pitt, where Pittsburg now stands,
he secured bags of apple seed, with which
he loaded his dugout canoe, and with this
strange cargo he padded mis- lonely way
down the Ohio, planting orchards wherever
an opportunity offered. ministering to the
sick, giving to the needy and living his
life only for the good he could do.
The Indians looked upon him with awe,
because when his bare feet would be c,lt
and torn with the brush and frozen mud,
he would calmly seat himself by their camp
fire, heat an iron white hot and burn out
the cuts and wounds. which then readily
healed.
Quaint and weird as this young man of
twenty-six must have appeared. in his rag
ged garments, bare feet and pasteboard
cap, no one, not even the small boys, ever
laughed or jeered at him: but he was uni
versaliy treated with respect by bandit,
savage. ignorant squatter and the refined
and cultured officers of the revolutionary
army who settled in the wilderness. He
lived to be an old, old man, beloved by
young and old, and passed over the great
divide telling about the glory he saw be-
yond.
You will understand better now why I
chose the Johnny Appleseed among all the
officers to act as peacemaker in the camp,
in the field and on the playground, to pre-
vent or adjust all quarrels among the
scouts and to decide any disputes that may
arise during contests and games.