Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-05-12
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER I.
~ a. daddy!'
Mr.. Sanders looked up
from the harness he was
~ mending in preparation for
springs work to see his two daughters
standing before him.
"Well?" he said, with an inquiring
smile.
We've want to go to college"
said Mabel. She was the older of the
two, fair haired girl Of seventeen.
Her sister Gladys was year younger.
b short, plump little girl with unruly
brown hair and an irrepressible smile.
Their father let the strap he was
holding fall to the floor.
"What for?" he asked
ITO learn things" said Mabel. 1--WE
want to go to the agricultural college
and take the domestic science course.
II you'll come in the house I'll show
you what the catalogue says about it."
Mr.. Sanders picked up his strap and
went to work again. you're mighty
good girls" he said. "andI want to do
all can for you. but don't see where
the money to send you to college is
coming from"
Mabel's lip quivered. "Then can't
can't we go?' she asked.
Her fathers eyes twinkled as he
looked up. 'I'll tell you what I'll do"
he said. 'srll give you girls the old
apple orchard, and you can use all the
money you make from it to go to col
lege with"
The old apple orchard consisted OF
IN acre Of apple trees that Mr.. San
ders had set out several years before
with the expectation Of reaping
handsome reward when they should
reach bearing age. But the locality
was not especially well adapted to ap-
pie growing. Weeds and insects play
ed havoc. and the orchard turned out
to be anything but paying PROPOSE
ton.
Mabel turned abruptly and left the
shop, but Gladys sat down on a nail
keg, with her forehead puckered up IN
thought. After few moments she got
mn and went over to the window.
There had been hard frost the night
before, and the apple trees were laden
with a white coating Of frost crystals
that shone and sparkled in the sun
light. :.
"Its pretty this morning anyway"
she said. "Can we really have it to
do as we please with?"
.That's what 1 said," her father an
swered. you'll have hard time
getting anything out Of it, though"
.sWell,' Gladys replied determined
", "we're going to get something out
of 1t. / believe we can make that OLD
orchard pay our way through college"
Mr.. Sanders smiled. Il hope. so,"
he said. "I'll help you all can"
"Pm going over to Pearson's this
afternoon" said Gladys as they were
seated at the dinner table that noon.
sDo you want to go along, Mabel"
"What for?" asked Mabel.
.sTo find out how he raises so many
apples."
"He's got better apple soil than We
have" spoke up Mr.. Sanders.
.sMaybe that isn't the only reason"
persisted Gladys. Il want to talk with
him anyway"
Mr., Sanders had a three-year-old
colt. which the girls had broken to
drive that winter. They had had
many lively tussle with It before 1t
would acknowledge that 1t was con-
uuered, but now it was as quiet and
docile as could be asked for and would
follow the girls around like big dog.
Gladys always insisted that Mollie,
rs they called the colt, needed only
little training to rival Lou Dillon. In
deed, she had boosted of Mollie's speed
nualities SO much that Mrs. Sanders
could not be induced to ride behind
her. and she held her breath every
time the girls drove out Of the yard
with the colt.
After the dinner dishes we're washed
and put away the girls hitched Mollie
to the old fashioned square box cutter
ind drove over to Pearson's.
Mr.. Pearson was a somewhat eccen-
tric old farmer. He spent most Of his
lime pottering around in his orchard
and garden, leaving his three boys to
No the farm work. The neighbors
were forced to admit that he raised
fine fruit, but they were inclined to
give credit to his rich, somewhat
sandy soil rather than to his painstak-
ing care. He rubbed his bald head
delightedly when the girls told him
their errand.
..Of course you can make 1t payw he
exclaimed. THAT acre Of apple trees
ought to send half a dozen girls to col
lege."
Therennop he entered into LENGTHY