Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1910-06-02
CHAPTER l.

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-we 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,
a 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 forE" he asked.
ITO learn things" said Mabel. I'VE
want to go to the agricultural college
and take the domestic science course.
If you'll come in the house I'll show
you whas the catalogue says about it."
Mr. Sanders picked up his strap and
went to work again. You're mighty
good girls" he said, land | want to do
all can for you, but l 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. "Ill tell you what I'll do"
he said. "I'll 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
an acre of apple trees that Mr. San
ders had set out several years before
with the expectation of reaping a
handsome reward when they should
reach bearing age. But the locality
was not especially well adapted to APP
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 nall
keg, with her forehead puckered up In
thought. After few moments she got
up 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 1t to
do as we please with?"
That's what l said" her father an
swered. You'll have hard time
getting anything out of it, though"
Well" Gladys replied determined
ly, we're going to get something out
Of it. 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 l can"
"Pm going over to Pearson's this
afternoon" said Gladys as they were
seated at the dinner table that noon.
"Do you want to go along, MabelT"
what forp' asked Mabel.
ITO find out how he raises so many
apples"
He's got better apple soil than We
have" spoke up Mr.. Sanders.
Maybe that isn't the only reason"
persisted Gladys IL want to talk with
him anyway.'
Mr. Sanders had three-year-old
tolt, which the girls had broken to
drive that winter They had had
many a lively tussle with it before it
would acknowledge that it was con-
quered, 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,
as they called the colt. needed only a
little training to rival Lou Dillon. In
deed she had boasted of Mollie's speed
qualities 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 were washed
and put away the girls hitched Mollie
to the old fashioned square box cutter
and drove over to Parsons.
Mr.. Pearson was a somewhat eccen-
trio old farmer. He spent most Of hts
time pottering around In his orchard
md garden, leaving his three boys to
10 the farm work. The neighbors