The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-02-17
TIE DAILY
ST lORT sTOR Y
Paifingg at a Pairing.
y MARTINI m6cULLoUeH WI.
). - LlAMS.

THERE was never such another
apple year. Every orchard
bowed earthward with gay
SCENTED fruit, cider flooded the eel.
lars OF the countryside, and young
tn6uhtains OF apple barrels lay
snug beneath the trees. Naturally
TIE making Of apple butter grew
coitithchplace-much too usual to
be turned into festival, as hap.
tetad Sometimes, In scsnt yeatg.
stu the younger element had Its
innings; pairing bees after the old
fashion abrnng up airesh. with much
laughter as psrings were dropped
over tho left shoulder TO form in
itlal Of the future partner. All
those whose sweethenrts came in
the letter S class had reasonable
hope OF good apple men, since anYI
aforementioned sound paring-and
what other was worth the casting?
had a cutl at each end that In
themselves automatically formed
the fatcful letter.
The Jotdans had the finest apples
and the prettiest girls round about.
Z Hence their bee, coming we'll to-
ward the end Of things, was merry,
crowded and mighty Industrious.
The number OF knives flying round
and round jtlcy red or yellow fruit
4 was something phenomenal. There
was rivalry. too, in the OUTPUT, as
well as In the emptying Of the tubs
that Brought In the fruit. Benny
Jordan, belio Of the neighBorhood,
had her hands full escaping all the
baftners who wanted 10 team up
with her She took refuge at last
. in making tho team four square.
? titus there was more excitement In
the racing as well as more glory in
Winning.
Beahy did not wuntto beat every.
body else. She was ut once too
courteous and too crafty for that.
Asiti her own house she felt she must
Th1ld back a bit. There we're three
other bees In prospect. At them
she Could let her fingers fly their
ilimblest. So she tobk for ner team.
mates the jenkins lad. whose nick.
name was Slow, and Nell Crabb, n
lightning worker, II only shr
wouldn't stop 10 stare so often.
fhese two would, she was sure, ba'.
afite nicely all that she herself and
Roy Elton could do. Their gang
Ought TO come third, which was
high ehough to sdve humiliation
ahd low enough to please the visit
ing helpers without hurting victor
eteeithgs. Miss Benny was, you see
{ something of diplomat. Tho way
OF It Is to come later. Just now ali
Is apples and the pairing and slicing
thereof.
The Jordans, Of course, had par.
ing machine, but use OF 1t would be
death to The fun OF the evening.
\ So knives flew like mad, slices fell
In cascade, the strings mounted Ii
torrents upon the rods which were
Bearing them TO the drying house.
By IL O'clock the last tubrul had
been turned from beauty to use, the
heap OF selected parings was care
fully put aside, and everybody
washed UP. spruced bit and began
devouring gingerbread, pumpkin
pie, thick sandwiches OF oozing fat |
ness and pickles of \such spicingi
they made an almost oriental al.
Eiosphere.
Coffee, hot. strong, clear as star.
liight, dark as Erebus, washed down
6lhe Homeric feast Nobody was
ashamed OF indeed the
champion enters were prize guests. /
Cider, 10 be sure. was plentltulry
on tap-hIt who wanted TO smell, !
much less taste 1t. after an evening
all apples? A flute. fife and fiddle
were straining TO make music-at
least their players said so, each
I Naunting his instrument Since the
three played upon all occasions
musical, the rivalry betwixt them
was keen, even fierce.
When at last they struck up
Money Musk" the flute Just half !;
Bar laggard-Renny had an insplra.
tibI. 1t was to let the fateful peais
choose nartners-everyb0dy to throw
aud those that made the same let.