The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1921-06-16
Old Holzapfel's Jar
of Peaches
BY HAZEL SMITH.
n issi, westsrn Newspaper vnioaJ

rect. Rogers had been n missy nv
had scraped all boarded during thirty
years Of labor. ~ that now, though
he was barely nifty years Of age' ne
looked older. But Rogers had retired
three months beforc. thanks 10 some
wisely made Investments. aud now
with fifteen thousand dollars at his
disposal. be was still living on In bis
little tworoom Hat on the East side
q New York. and trying 10 stretch
his crnmpcd Imagination and plan his
life anew.
Bitterly he regretted that he was
an old bachelor without a friend or
wife, sweetheart or child.
Rogers had gone 60 the lelicatcssen
store 81 his acquaintance. Holzapiel'
20 buy something for supper lie
cooked his own supper upon a tiny
stove IN his apartment.
Il think he said after he had made
his purchases. that I'll take some pre-
served fruit
why. Rogers, you're becoming a
spendihrifi. a regular spendthrift.'
said Holzapfel jestingly.
Rogers patronlzed the old German
from long habit.
We'll, I've got some preserved
peaches" said the old fellow. But
they wasn't put up yesterday, Rogers.
III let you have them for dime.
They're home grown. and they're worth
tweniy.fve-if they was fresh
Rogers took the peaches and walked
out Of the store.
The peaches were bad But that
fact had nothing to do with the case.
For inside The Jar was n little folded
square Of oiled paper. And In this
was n folded piece Of paper on which
was written:
Lucy Morrell. Egan, y. u"
That compensated old Rogers for
the loss Of the peaches II was one
Of those little harmless pranks played
by country girls who put their names
into bottles ~ fruit preserved by them
and destined 70 20 long distances and
fall into strangers hands. often they
had led 10 correspondence and some.
times 10 romance.
Old Rogers racked his brain lie
could not remember anyone In Egan
named MorTell.
But that evening the loneliness 81
his fat oppressed his spirit: and the
very word Egan. written out on the
paper, made him homesick for TIE III.
tie town. In the end he sat down and
wrote:
Lucy Morrell: ! found your note
In the peaches"
Days passed; old Rogers resumed
the tenor Of his life. He had not
found the courage TO break loose
from his surroundings. But about
a week later the postman left a letter
In his box. II was the first he had
received for months, except bank no
tees and bills. II was addressed to
him in a delicate, feminine writing,
and inside he read:
Dear Friend: 4 got your letter
hut yQu didn't say how you liked the
SSashss-EE-EM.T-
That was the beginning Of cor.
respondenee. and It brought a new
happiness into old Roge.s' heart.
lie had asked for her photograph,
but abe had not sent IL, nor alluded
10 the matter again.
She wrote less often. But one day
came a despairing note In which she
confessed something perIlously like
love. And then old Rogers knew
that he had no alternative. SO he
wrote back. a wild letter such as hs
would not have been capable Of a
year before. In which he told her.
Then a week passed and then hei
answer came, and IL said simply:
Come up 20 Egan. The third hous.
fI9m the depot. Lucy"
on tEai sagne afternoon old Roger
drey liz money trg.-s the bank. Thet
&C i1fttd his back upon As:.,..eenh
street forever and set forth Tor Egan /
He reached the little place at five
on an autumn afternoon. II had not
changed as be had expected !
lie descended a he dspot ane
walked slowly toward the cottage. Sc
he passed through the ntched gate
and kpocked ut the door. A pleasant
gentle-looking lady Of about forty
years opened 20 him.
Il am james Rogers said the Wis
ltor simply. Il have come 10 see youI
daughter" lie said the last word viii
a tone o. interruption. Yet he felt
sure that this was Lucy's nother
This was just such a mother as he
would have expected Lucy 10 have
And yet IL was strange that she hac
never mentioned her In her letters.
Il am Lucy Morrell," she said. trem
bling.
Old Rogers looked at her incredu
lously, aud then took her 10 his arins
and kissed her.
He knew then that he loved her IN,
more truly because she brought Il
him a mind rlpened by experienc,
and a love whose strength was only
the deeper for the passing % thu
years. And she had feared as he had
feared. when the correspondence. be
gun In jesf. had ended In earnest