The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1913-07-03
A GRATED
TREE
By ELIZABETH WEED


apple tree that grew beside the front
door of his house. The apples it bore
were greetings. and there was usual
ly bountiful crop. Perks son, Abel,
was engaged TO Amanda Squeers. who
was a very thrifty and a very shrewd
girl. The old man was a widower,
with no other children except Abel, and
when the father died the son would
inherit all his property. But Perks
wouldn't either die or give Abel enough
on which to be married.
One day the farmer brought home n
bough OF an apple tree and grated it
on to a limb of his favorite apple tree
that pointed directly toward his house.
Not long after this a man named
Schmitt came to settle an account with
the farmer that had been of long
standing. The man had put in a cul-
vert for Perks which had been washed
away, and Perks, who had been obliged
to have the work done over by another
mason, refused TO pay the bin present
ed by the first. The creditor came aft
er supper in the evening and remain
ed arguing with and threatening Perks
with a lawsuit till 10 o'clock. Perks
was not well. and the controversy &C.
CURED in his bedroom on the second
story. Abel was in the house, but at
10 o'clock he went to bed in another
part of the house and was soon sound
asleep.
When I'm the morning he went into
dead. There was evidence that he had
been struck on the head viii some
hard instrument like a poker. Abel
called in the neighbors and told them
the facts. Schmtt was arrested. But
he had evidently prepared himself for
the ordeal awaiting him. for he denie
having been at Perks house at all
Indeed. he said he had spent the even
ing with a man ten miles from Perks
talking about some work both were to
do together. The man corroborated
Schmitt's statement Why he did so
was never known. But it was sup
posed that Schmitt made a confidant
Of him and either worked on his feel
ings or paid him to save him.
Suspicion then fell on Abel, who in
herited his fathers estate. He was
arrested. but since there was not
scrap of evidence against him, except
that he and his father were the only
two persons known to be in the house
on the night Of the murder. the jury
hung for a long while. then finally
brought in verdict of acquittal. But
his neighbors believed him guilty and
refused thereafter to have anything to
do with him.
Amanda Squeers alone believed in
her lovers innocence and that Schmitt
had committed the murder. She had
only Abers word for Schmitt's having
been at the house to collect his bill |
and that Abel had left him with his IA
Their when he went to bed. But she |
knew, apart from her lovers state |
ment. by woman's intuition. that
Schmitt had done the murder. She
married Abel and accepted the stigma |
that rested upon him.
Three years passed One summer
noticed that the bough Perks
had grated to his apple tree would
grow II the sash were left up into
window Of the old mans former bed
room. The weather being warm. she |
propped up the sash. and the bough. |
covered with blossoms, extended a
yard or more into the room. One day |
In midsummer she passed Schmitt's
house and said to him:
"Mr. Schmitt. it has been revealed
to me who killed my husbands father.
That has always been a mystery, and
1 confess I have always believed you
did the deed. Now know who did It. |
Come to the house tomorrow afternoon |
and will convince you"
Schmitt kept a steady face, but with |
in he trembled. He did not wish to 60
to her house. and he dare not stay |
away. Above all, he felt that he must |
know If Mrs Perks had any clew. He
did not say to her whether or no he |
would accept her invitation. but the
next afternoon, bracing himself with |
a strong potation. he started for the
house.
Amanda welcomed him at the door,
and so cordially that he was persuad-
ed to believe that she had got on to a
wrong track and had become con-
vinced of his innocence. He saw no
one in the house, and that gave him
cOurape Ar anv ratio fhara xvara M
witnesses to what would occur. Aman-
da chatted with him for a time on
ordinary matters, then said:
"Now, II you will follow me I will
enable you to prove your innocence of
the murder"
She led the way up the staircase
and into the room In which the muir
der had been committed. The window
sash was up, and the end of branch
of the apple tree extended into the
room. On 1t were several ripe apples.
THE other night" said Amanda,
Mr.. Perks appeared to me in a dream.
saw him as vivid and distinct as !
zee you now. And he said: I have
caused a bough Of my greening apple
tree to grow into my bedroom win
dow. II the man who murdered me
eats Of one of the apples it will show
within stains Of my blood Pluck an
apple, Mr.. Schmitt. and prove your In
necence"
Schmitt turned pale. but plucked an
apple. though his hand trembled as he