The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-11-05
Torsr-C Colored
...HppfcC.

Colonel Gresham, stockbroker, turn
I'd gentleman farmer 10 produce new
yarietica Of fruits.
Nature grows some two-coIorcd ap.
pies, but when you nsk her to add two
additional col0rs she wants time to
think the matter over. Every expert
ment was failure, but TINT only made
/ the colonel and HIS gardener the more
determined. especially tho gardener.
n was hls duty an al employee
10 give hls master all hls idens, but be
made an exception Ia this one case.
lie clung to II with dogged obstinncy,
but ha kept II as secret as the grave.
lie might have clung 10 II d year or 10
longer had not the colonel become i'm.
patient. IIc said something one June
dny about giving UP tho experiments
and the gardener replied that he would
have some news for him next day. lie
nsked the broker to come home an
hour earlier than usual md 10 come
directly to tho large farm barn.
Az tho bour named the colonel was
there. He had scarcely entered the
barn whom no received a crack on tho
head that made him unconscious for
tho next quarter OF an hour. When be
came to hc had been stripped OF coat,
vest and tie and was bound hand and
foot He had not caught sight Of his
nssailant i,cfore being struck. but now
found the gardener lowering over him
with a murderous look on his face.
"wili you tell me what this means,
HcnryT' asked the victim.
yes. SIR. have finally found how
10 grow four.colored apples. II has
been long time, but I have struck
II at last Ihope to have Afty bushels
on the market this fall"
well. lots hear about It."
IAN thu apple trees are now In bios.
som. Tho red ones are all right and
tho yellow ones are all right. and I,
have found a way to make the blue
and green ones all right. I have sim.
ply to sprinkle them with the blood Of
q man wearing side whiskers. A drop
Of blood 10 a blossom will do the trick.
ana once tho apples start to growing
thst way they win continue"
Now. mo colonel had growth Of
side whiskers that were the envy Of
Wall street and n matter Of Joy to
himself. whenever you saw the colo.
mel you saw his whiskers. He might
forget his Communication ticket now and
then. but never his whiskers. The
two were one and inseparable. He
didn't like the gardeners reference to
those sacred objects. II smacked Of
familiarity. and there was covert
threat behind the words. He was ut
nrst inclined to bluster. but another
look Into the gardeners face satisfied
him that the man had become crazy.
lie therefore changed his tactics and
quietly said:
"All right, Henry. We will 90 up to
the orchard and experiment ! am de.
lighted to find that you have achieved
success at last"
, "But how can you 80 when ! want
your blood?" asked the man. "You
see. you ARE the only man around here
with side whiskers. II the coachman
or the butler had 'em. that would do,
but they haven't, you know. They are
fine ones, coionel--fine ones"
And Chapman bent down and ten
derly caressed the iron gray side
whiskers that foated away from each |
cheek and we're gently stirred now
and then by the June breezes blowing
into the open door. Never had another
man on this earth except the barber
dared to lay his sacrllegious hands on
those reverenced objects Of the money
center OF the world.
"But we VIII look up some one else"
said the colonel as he felt sinking Of
the heart. II know Of several men .
with side whlskers. and will coax one |
OF them home with me tomorrow"
But | must have the blood today.
colonel. Besides, for this first expert
ment we must have the incest sort OF
whiskcrs. There Is nothing In the state
Of New York to compare with yours.
The papers have said so over and over
again. How soft they are! How lux
they grow. How the breeze
toys with them. Your blood ls all
right, and the first bushel Of four-color-
ed apples shall be deposited on your
grave"
"But want to see the trees you
have selected. may decide TO make
some changes
"The trees are all right colonel.
Here Ia a knife to open an artery, and
here Is n pan to catch the blood. What
shall / do with your whlskers after
you are dead? 1t seems pity to bury
'em like 30 much horsehair,'
"You blamed fool, this has gone
far enoughr' exclaimed the colonel, 60
Ing to the other extreme. "Unblnd me
at once or I'll have you sent to prison
for llfe!"
ut won't do,' replied the gardener.
with a shake Of his head and taking up
d knife he had made ready for the pur-
nose. "YOu llre as anxious for the four