Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1912-08-15

They Saved Her
From Herself
By CLARlSSA MACKIE

the snowy DlOom OF uer Dig CHERRY Tree
and sighed a~nxiously.
'It looks as If there was going to be
a sight of fruit this year If the pesky
birds don't eat 'em all up" she said to
herself. Then aloud she suddenly
shrieked, Here. you, boy; don't you
dare touch them blossoms"
II was only picking a few flowers.
ma'am," he apologized- II wanted
them for my mamma"
Those are not flowers" returned
Miss Alberta severely. Those would
have been cherries in July If you had
left them alone. One, two, three-um-
nine cherries you've picked off my tree,
young man"
The boy looked from her lined n
careworn face to the fragrant snow of
blooms over his head. There's plenty
more flowers. ma'am," he said visit
fully. extending the crushed twigs he
held. but l suppose you better take
these. They're yours"
Miss Alberta snatched the blossoms
| from his hand and tossed them toward
q little mound Of wilted dandelion
roots she had been digging out of the
turf. Hasn't your mother taught you
It's wicked to steal?" she demanded.
The boy WINGED, but he squared his
shoulders and answered sturdily: "Of
course she's told me that, ma'am. It's
me-myself-that did It. She wouldn't
prove of me doing It"
swell, I should hope not" calculated
Alberta, with a 1eeting glance toward.
the roof of the little brown house next
door. "When did you move in, boyT
Yesterday" he answered, "and my
mammals dreffie tired today"
what is your name?"
Duncan Fearly Bartlett. That's my
papa's name too"
April passed into May May into
June-and then came July, sultry and
hot, with the rich odor Of overripe
fruits in Alberta's shrubby garden
Faster than she could convert the ber
ries into cans of amber and ruby tint
ed preserves they ripened on the
bushes, and pirate robins swooped to
snatch titbits for the gaping mouths
that crowded the nests.
"Scat!' Alberta would cry, waving
her gingham apron at the feathered
robbers.
"Oh, OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES" the robins
would answer saucily as they dashed
away, only to return later and repeat
the foray.
"Drat 4@'emr' and Alberta would
whisk indoors to rescue the scorching
sugar from the fire.
IF the cherries had only waited a
little longerr7 she groaned n hot day
as she looked from the kitchen win
dow into the branches Of the cherry
tree, where the rich red fruit hung
In thick clusters. IF I can only get
this currant jell Off my hands
"Do you want a boy to pick cher
riesY 2" asked Duncan Bartlett from the
doorway, where he stood hat In hand.
my m says I can pick on shares
If you want me to and I'm careful not
to fall
Alberta looked at him s~uspiciously.
He was seven years old and small for
his age, but he was strong and wiry
and had an open chubby 'countenance
that made him look still younger. He
wore a clean suit Of overalls. and his
brown feet were bare.
II don't like to have my fruit picked
on shares" she said sharply. but I'll
tell you what you a try. You car
pick 'em on quarter shares. Out OF
every four quarts you car have M fol-
yourself"
"Ali right. ma'am,. he said, witt
some disappointment In his tone. 'Ii
you'll give me a pail and a.rope I'll be
gin now"
Alberta provided a pail and a rope
and a long ladder and watched the
small cherry picker carefully climb the
rounds until he disappeared among thu
green branches
Just before noon Duncan appeared a
the door staggering under a pail OF
luscious cherries. Precipitation stream
ed down his sunburned nose and cher
ries stained his lips.
"How many you got thereteigh'
quarts? Well, you get two quarts ouI
Of that" Alberta measured a scam
two quarts from the Drumming pal
and dumped them In a paper bag
You coming back after cinner?"
"If you want me to-"
Come along. Somebody's got to picl
'em. Well, l declare, you've been eat
ing somer' She pointed an accusing
finger at his Redeemed lips
Duncan flushed proudly. II only ate
some the birds bad pecked." he con
fessed.
Hes gritty" she murmured as she
emptied the cherries into a basket and
set the pail outside the door. =
BY 9 o'clock Duncan had picked fifty
quarts of cherries. and Alberta reluc
family parted from twelve quarts.
Il was after supper that Ellen Snive
ly's face appeared at Alberta's kitch
en- door. "You all through your sup
PERI she asked as she stepped within
and pushed the sunbonnet back from
her sharp face.
'Yes- Sit down. Alberta pushed TIL
Boston rocker forward and hung be-
dish towel on the line at the back door