Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1917-08-25
SHE THREW APPLES
BY c. 3. LEWIS.

happier than any other two.
One belonged to Miss Ruth Gordon
and the other to Clyde Belmont. Miss
Gordon was a teacher in the public
schools of the city and had been in
vited down to The Cedars to pass the
month of August with friends.
Mr.. Belmont was junior partner
in department store and had three
weeks in which to take needed vaca-
ton.
At nine o'clock on that morning men,
toned Mr.. Belmont sat on the veranda
of maHOr house belonging to a
friend and smoked a good cigar and
heard the robins and bluebirds singing.
This was a novelty to him.
Miss Ruth wasn't on any veranda.
She was out in the orchard instead
wandering over the grass, which had
been dewy three or four hours before.
She felt like young colt, and she al
most made up her mind to climb one
of the apple trees. She was visiting
her friend, Jane Craven. 1t was Jane
who led her into trouble. She picked
up apples and began to throw them at
tree, and, of course, Ruth followed
the example. They were in part of
the orchard bordering the highway,
and such apples as missed the tree at
which they were thrown fell into the
highway.
There were plenty of apples on the
ground, for the worm had been getting
in his work during the hot days, and
1t was great fun. The girls were still
throwing when young man suddenly
appeared before them, coming from
the highway. He held his punched
handkerchief to his left eye and there
was pretty fierce scowl on his face.
Neither girl had ever seen him, and
they stood with apples in their hands
to see what errand he had come on.
A few minutes before this episode
Mr.. Belmont had finished smoking his
cigar. He did not feel like walking,
out when the auto came around and
he chauffeur said he was going to the
village, four miles away, the junior
partner made up his mind all at once
that he would go along and he took q
seat in an easy and contented manner.
He was enjoying the scenery and try
ing to drive the price of fall hats out
Of his mind, when bird came sailing
out of a tree at his face. That is, he
thought it was a bird, but when it
struck him in the left eye and fell at
MS feet, he saw it was an apple-not
4 yellow harvest apple good to eat at
any hour of the day. but dried-up,
green specimen. 1t was solid, though,
md he felt that eye swelling in less
han a minute. 1t had been deliber-
ltely thrown at him.
Mr.. Belmont wanted to know who |
had thrown that apple, and the why's |
md wherefore of it. He leaped from |
he auto and penetr; ted some bushes,
md TO- he stood before two cookbook
ng young ladies, where he had eX-
)ected to find q farmland or two or
hree bad boys. He was expected to
ay something, and, after recovering
rom his surprise, he Stammered out:
"Some-some one threw an apple,
md it hit me in the eye!"
"Yes, we were throwing apples" re-
lied Miss Ruth, who stood nearest
lin. 81 threw one with all my might.
t missed the tree and struck out, and
am very, very sorry"
''But he shouldn't have been passing
ust at that moment" protested the
ther girl, in rather impudent tones.
"Perhaps not" said Mr.. Belmont, be-
ng little indignant.
"Oh, yes, you should" answered
fiss Ruth. "You had a right on the
Dad, of course. am afraid we were
cry careless. Won't you come and
ave the eye treated?"
II thank you, but-but-"
And Mr.. Belmont got out Of the fix
y walking back to the road and ask
ng the chauffeur to take him back to
is friends house, where he found
reatment. That eye turned black and
lue, and for the next ten days Mr..
belmont had something new to care
or. Then he rode out, and who should
e meet but the two girls driving in
n opposite direction in their auto.
liss Ruth looked her sympathy. She
sked half a dozen questions about
hat eye, and vowed that she could
ever forgive herself. Why couldn't
he apple have struck the chauffeur
There was little more talk
nd then they drove on.
Once more before each one returned
D the city the junior partner and the
chool teacher met, and affairs pro-
ressed well with them. The black and
lue left that eye, and it was as good
,oking an eye as the other, and both
yes could see that Miss Ruth Gordon
ad very pleasant personality. 1t
'asn't three months later, and after
everal calls at Ruth's house, that the
lnior partner made bold to say:
Ruth, you extended your sympathy
,r my black eye which you created.
hat wasn't all the havoc you did that
ny, however, and / am going to ask
on for sympathy for my wounded
On VI