Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-09-24
PALMS OR APPLE
BY MYRTLE ALICE LITTLE.

Molly flecked her blue-black curl
away from her saucy little face, pa
ted Lens rough gray sleeve and smile
up into his eyes.
You think I'm funny, don't yol
Len, to want TO go? Why, it's tn
chance of life time. I've Away
read about the palms and miles o
roses and"
And earthquakes and desert sum
mers," muttered Leonard Ray un
easily.
Now uncles got me that cand!
store place with the nice manage
there isn't any reason why | shouldn'
20. And he's even 1nt my fare botl
ways Molly went on as If Len hadn
thrown the cold water over her dream
I'm reason why" Len protested
solemnly. nice managers aren't In
1t! The nifty brown bungalow in the
apple orchard is waiting, Molly. Your
starting off is going to mean we can't
be married before fall and"
II never promised, Len alwayG
wanted to see something of the world
first, anyway. You said the bungalow
was a good investment"
you know what kind of an invest
ment meant, Moll." Leonard told her.
wait and maybe we can 70 West to-
gether some time. Youll find things
different out there. You'll get home
sick for the apple trees"
81 will not" Molly laughed. 81
Want to find things different" Then
she added without the least malice in
the world. 81 want to find folks differ
ent, too"
They are, I've heard Len re-
marked briefly. IF you want the fun
they'll give YOU, and that's all, I'm
sorry, Moll You needn't think you're
going to find man out there that
likes you better than do. 1t can't be
done, girl Nice manager Umph !"
you funny boy" Molly laughed,
but she was thinking right hard
The next week Molly Saunders
started on the journey of her life way
lng CHEEKY good-bys TO the family, but
seeing longest under the cindery stu.
tlon roof the sober face of Leonard
Ray as 1t still pleaded for her not to
90.
As she ncared her journeys end
Molly began to grow actually fright
ened, but she didn't know why.
II wanted it TO be different Molly
told herself bravely. But | didn't
know il was going to be lonely diff
ferent."
Uncle and aunt met her at the sta.
ton and hardly gave her a chance to
get the awful sticky black washed off
and fresh blouse on before they took
her to the candy store. They're short
of help, and the manager, Norton
Frost. is keeping the place open for
YOU You've got to pitch right in
said uncle.
And Molly pitched in bravely, learn
ing candy candy prices, candy smiles
and Sweltering in the new kind of
heat that seemed to be whiting her to
a fragile. What stuffy place the
city was And foggy; and then II
never rained. Umbrellas We're only
needed for Molly'S tears nights after
she Went TO hcd-funny tears almost
as If their owner were homesck. And
wasn't the city packed! No extra
room, like Lens fields and meadows.
But Norton Frost. manager, was nice
and jolly and Western. There was
that to be thankful for.
The second week he asked Molly to
20 to the show with him. She went,
and cried softly all through the big
picture because 1t had soft, pretty
hills and farmers In 1t that reminded
her-well, hills and all-of Leonard
Ray, whose letter had just about
broken her heart that morning, 1t had
been SO lonesome sounding.
She had the desert heat Len had
warned her about; she had all the
candy she could eat; the honey life
at her ant's, besides the attention Of
Norton Frost. But with all this Molly's
throat got lumpier and lumpier.
cts what I've always dreamed
about" sighed Molly. "All those things
and a real son of the Golden West for
n husband"
Norton laughed. "Then it's settled,
little Molly, and we can be married in
the fall?"
Then suddenly Molly dashed away
so fast that she stepped on the prickli-
Est cactus in the park.
"You mustn't kiss me, ever, Mr..
Frost she stammered. you see
/" Molly got on the other side of
he cactus. 1--WE dreamed about all
these things, but they were sort of a
nightmare, I guess. Tn homesick. I
want Leonard Ray and the apple
+rees We want to come here some
line together, you see. | shouldn't
nave let you take me places, because
all the time I've been imagining you
we're Len-and-"
I'm from Boston, anyway, Molly"
aughd Norton Frost easily. You're
rot losing much Of Westerner. Might
all on you some time when I'm East.
Zen Ray is an old friend of NINE He
old me to keep an eye on you and
rive you a good time; but he's been
Missing you lately pretty bad, so I
bought I'd better make yOu-see how
'ou really felt about things
Molly recovered from the amazing
leluge with remarkable calm, and in a
short time took the fast
,st cross-con,inent train TO Leonard