Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1921-01-28
PALMS OR APPLE
BY MYRTLE ALICE LITTLE.

W.T. -e-N' - %-ANNaeAo ANo"ppbboA oyhuAohtosJ
$50 you think you're tired Of the
East ahd VS. Fasteners, and you're
leaving us for the foggy PaclflcT'
Molly f1ecked her blue-bleck curls
away from her saucy little face, pat
ted Lens rough gray sleeve and smiled
up into his eyes.
you think I'm funny, don't you,
Len, to want to gof Why, It's the
chance of life time. I've always
read about the palms and miles Of
roses and"
"And earthquakes and desert sum
mers," rnuttered Leonard Ray, I'M
easily.
'Now uncles got me that candy
store place with the nice manager
there isn't any reason why shouldn't
go. And he's even sent my fare both
ways" Molly went on as If Len hadn't
thrown the cold water over her dream.
"rm reason why" Len protested
solemnly. mice managers aren't in
It'll The nifty brown bungalow In the
apple orchard is waiting, Molly. Your
starting of Is going to mean We can't
be married before fall and"
Il never promised, Len. I always
wanted to see something Of the world
first, anyway. You said the bungalow
was good investment"
"Yop know what kind of an invest
mept ! meant, Moll," Leonard ted her
WYATT and maybe we can 90 West to-
gether some time. You'll find things
different out there. Youth get home
sick for the apple trees"
II will not" Molly laughed. 81
Want to find things different Then
she added without the least MALICE In
the world. II 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. Mol. 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 managerl Umph"
you funny boy" Molly laughed,
put nic Wub thihhihB AABht huiu'
The next week Molly Saunders
started on the journey Of her life, wav-
ing CHEEKY good-bys to the family, but
seeing longest under the cindery sta
ton roof the sober face of Leonard
Ray as 1t still pleaded for her not TO
go.
As she neared her journeys end
Molly began to gov actually fright
ened, but she didn't know why.
81 wanted 1t to be different" Molly
told herself bravely. "But I didn't
know 1t 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 ln,"
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 willing her to
a fragile. What n stuffy place the
city was. And foggy; and then It
never rained. Umbrellas were only
needed for Molly's tears nights after
she went to bed-funny tears; almost
as II their owner were homesIck. 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
go to the show with him. She went,
and cried softly all through the big
picture because II had soft, pretty
hills and farmers In II that reminded
her-well, hills and all-of Leonard
Ray, whose letter had just about
broken her heart that morning. II had
been so lonesome sounding.
She had the desert heat Len had
warned her about; she had all the
candy she could ent; the honey life
at her nunt's. besides the attention Of
Norton Frost But with all this MOlly's
throat got lumpIer and lumpier.
'Tts what I've always dreamed
about" sighed Molly. "All those things
and real son Of the Golden West for
n husband"
Norton laughed. "Then it's settled,
little Molly, and we can be married in
the fallT'
Then suddenly Molly dashed away
so fast that she stepped on the prlckll-
est cactus In the park.
"You mustn't kiss me, ever, Mr..
Frost" she stammered. "You see
+" Molly got on the other side Of
the cactus. 1--WE dreamed about all
these things, but they were sort Of a
nightmare. I guess. I'm homesIck. ]
want Leonard Ray and the apple
trees. We want TO come here some
time together. you see. I shouldn't
have let you take me places, because
all the time I've been imagining you
were Len-and-"
"rm from Boston, anyway, Molly"
laughd Norton Frost easily. you're
not losing much Of a Westerner. Might
call on you some time when I'm East.
Len Ray Is an old friend Of mine. He
told me TO keep an eye on you and
give you a good time; but he's been
missing you lately pretty bad, so ]
thought I'd better make you-see how
you really felt about things"
Molly recovered from the amazing
deluge with remarkable calm, and in n
ridlculously short time took the fast
est cross-contInent train to Leonard
Ray and that brown bungalow In the
apple orchard and the best little town
In the world.