Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-04-07

trees, and cut them down that winter
for lumber. 5.yS.f II VIZ si:z,. 1,.$5 T.
He knew that second year OF fail
ure would mean bankruptcy. The two
dollars Lemaitre, the packer, offered
him would save him. But he was too
stubborn to make the compromise of
$2.25 which Lemaitre reluctantly Of
fereG.s = ~ IT,. 44.&sl - ~ ~
p That was in February, On the goth
of the month norther came sweep
ing down through the middle West.
When it sent the temperature OF
Louisville to ten above the weather
bureau began to telegraph warnings.
When the colonel heard the telephone
ring 1t marked Is above in Nashville.
Molly told the colonel so. s}s "a
We'll get a gang and light
smudges," answered old Trayers.
I'm going to save that crop" w. 2
Then you'll sell, father?" IT..
mo, III let it rot on the trees. But
I'll have the satisfaction Of letting It
ripen before it rots," he answered.
The telephone rang again. 1t was
20 above in Jacksonville, the lowest
known since the great freeze" OF 95.
which put back the orange area for
300 miles southwark. 1a
ITS 81 outside, father"
Almost Immediately Lemaitre called
him up on the telephone. =5s@ -
Colonel Travers. he said stiffiy,
Its sc In Tampa. We might have
time to save half your fruit with
smudge-fres. I've got, a gang ready to
work at my expense II you'll sell at .
dollar box" ,,g l.sl - t. 49, Il
Il "Confound your impudence!" roared
the colonel. Tell him that, Molly"
Molly softened it somewhat. But It
was now IS on the veranda. Three
degrees lower and the frost would nip
the tender trees. Six or seven de-
grees, and not lemon would be worth
anything but the fayoring in the
rind. Z f. i. -. ..,s-..s-,4r ~.
ITS too late to do anything" the
colonel groaned. But I'm not going
to let Lemaitre make penny out. Of
me, by any of his thievish tricks.
What's that in the groves, Molly =
Molly went out and returned. Moth
ing, father" she answered Fl "a
II thought l. heard q man calling.
You're sure it isn't Lemaitre's gang?'
quite sure" she answered. y. Z y
THE telephone rang again. 1t was
Lemaitre. Enp'Your last chance, colo.
nell he called cheerfully. IT can get
a third Of your fruit picked before it's
damaged. It's 80 outside my packing
house. = The gang waiting. Fifty
cents a box" q: u ,3sg III :. ! .' So
Molly hung up, the reeaiyer In time
to restrain her father from doing him
self bodily damage in his effort to get
out Of his chair. .,-
1t fell to 80, to 30. It fell to 26
that night before the norther disap-
peared. Next morning was bright and
warm. But the colonel knew that
his crop was irretrievably spoiled. i
ssst..'Still, it's a. comfort to- know that
Lemaitre hasn't got any Of it." he So
liloquized. s@s7 T5 }4I$% A. saxS, I.
In another week he was to be al
lowed upon his feet Meanwhile he
learned that the, frost had been gen.
eral throughout the lemon districts.
Prices had gone up SO per cent. The
Lemon Growers association had roped
all the growers in, the county and was
doing fabulous business. The short
age had enhanced prices sufficiently
to bring aftluence to all who had been
forehanded enough to save their trees
by fires. ,[''','7 &~t :.
I'D have cleared $1,000, Molly
said the Colonel wistfully to his
daughter E&t,@.v.f"y 81 lEsESE
When he was allowed out he limped
toward his lemon groves. AS he an.
ticipated the leaves were willing from
the upper branches But the trunks
were strong and sturdy, and the low
er branches showed promise of re-
naming sound. The colonel was not
slow in discovering the reason. Round
the roots OF the trees were wrapped
burlap protectors. And not a lemon
remained on the twigs. i =
Colonel Travers turned upon his
daughter in fury. H LIN g
Who's been shere?". &he 4 shouted.
ITS that Internal Lemaitre. Where
are the lemons. Molly?" r.. s.
-'.'"Come here, father said the girl.
~ She Ted him into the barn. There.
piled high from the floor to ceiling,
were crates and crates Of the fresh
fruit-$7. 900 worth. and not a lemon
spoiled. ;, = &,5..a. (. 5asE, d. ri. +;
And in the midst of the crates, bend
ing over them and examining the
fruit, was-Fleming! ~H'. y
The young man turned around upon
the astounded, colonel. -
Sorry to have iisoheyed instruc-
tons, colonel" he said. "'but you see
couldn't let you lose all that money
4 to crafty whim. So well. in
short, the day before the freeze, when
1t looked as though a norther was ex-
pected, Il got together gang and
clipped the fruit for you. And be.
lieve we saved your trees. too. 1hope
you don't mind. sir 5;,5s .'7
The colonel's face, which had borne
a terrifying scowl, suddenly softened.
There was an expression on his daugh-
ter's which made him suddenly think
of his wife. who had been dead -
years. - ~ /. q M Z b 49, +
/" John, I'm an old 4 fool he said
humbly. 7 beg your pardon. John
come to supper tonight, and we'll talk
over my joining the association"
X " " iFfj5s 7%A Ky. A$ aE-7S+EA W
HpIlEc0ME Col r. LII N MEXlHA