The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1929-11-15
Apple-on-a-Stick
Party
BY LEETE STONE
x;xxxxxx..:x:&N1.H
(COpYrightl

| At a iuuCouS Cdil lTOlu the Oiiice DOys
Saturday: nearly noon-George, of
course
"Yes, | know, George, of course we
can't hike In Jersey because of the
rain. You just come to the house
about one-thirty and wen have a rab-
bit for lunch and see what the wealth
er does. We may have an inspiration.
Byer'
So George came and Kitty had the
rabbit ready. Nice George In fact,
that was the whole trouble with
George. He was too nice. Kitty con-
suited her warm, Celtic heart and
found that she was almost In love
| with George.
Substantial. dependable, kind; but
never human, was George. Small
wonder impulsive, Irish-eyed Kitty
Gay hestated to pin her heart on her
sleeve for him.
The rabbit over, out smiled the sun
to sponge off the pool-ridden pave
ments.
what do you say, George, to some
been over the river on ferry Some
New Yorker, Ell? Let's take the
Christopher street ferry and see
what's at the other end of il. Shall
we?'
SO forth they Jared; crossed the
ferry, boarded a street car and rode
awhile, and finally climbed on foot
to where they could see the velvet
grass and orderly trees and paths of
what was evidently a park.
Venturing boldly in they took pos
session of a wide iron bench and sat
in silence drinking in the severe
beauty of Manhattan's Jagged sky
line across the river.
Just opposite their bench was a
drinking fountain, from which a Tiny
pillar of water spouts increasingly.
One puts ones mouth down over
cup-snaped container for drink.
Several grimy urchins were en-
gagged in the juvenile sport of clapping
thumb over the spout outlet and
spraying each other to the accom-
paniment of much yelling and duck
Ing.
Presently along the privet-edged
path came three neat, perfect chill
dren, cleanly and expensively dressed,
their hair glistening with fresh comb
Ing and all of them bristling with the
complete air of just having left the
decorous minlstrations of the modern
home.
The grimy urchins paused and
looked. And they were not looking
at the three spotless, pressed and
laundered little apparitions them
selves half so much as at what the
passing three were sucking. The
clean contingent were all three
studiously licking that delightful con
fection called "apple-on-a-stick."
The penniless, ragged children
knew from occasional, joyous boun-
ties what this confectionery marvel
tasted like, Kitty Gay knew from
memory and intuition. The eyes of
the three dirty, wet children nearly
popped from their heads as the three
little sons of Fortune passed them by
without the fraction of a glance.
"Oh oh oh J" thought
Kitty, 'if only George weren't so
so dignifed and proper!' Turning,
she stole a glance at his cleancut
profile and received the surprise of
of her life.
The George she knew had van
ished In his place sat a stranger;
man with misty eyes staring at the
dirty children who gazed with long
ing after the three who had Haunted
their apples -on-a-stick." Humanity
and the light of human understanding
had wiped out every dignified line In
Georges serious face and touched 1t
with magic for Kitty Gay.
kitty he said, turning to her,
were you ever a poor kid without
nickel to buy candy?" He hesitated
and Kitty waited, breathless almost.
well, | was Say, Kitty, would YOU
mind If | talked to those youngsters
a moment?
mind, George" Kitty could feel the
warm surge of blood clear to her fin
gertips. "Why-why, you know,
want you tor
"Hey there, sonny" George sum-
moned the tallest gamin, "dyou know
where to get those apple things on
sticksg He displayed five bright
nickels on his palm. "Wel, get one
apiece for yourselves and bring back
two for this lady and me-
A burly policeman, strolling through
the park little later, raised his eyes
at the sight of remarkable group
consisting of man and Girl as
central figures, with cluster of three
them. And each was sucking an APP
ple-on-a-stick with gustatory abandon,
chattering now and again, between
licks, like so many magpies.
The rich purple haze of an early
dusk was touching the peaks of Man
hattans' magnificent skyscraperS as
Kitty Gay and George pressed against
the forward deck chain of the ferry
going home
sort of jolly that It stopped rain
ing-Kitty, ehf' George said, scarcely
above a whisper.
'les, George, if you mean what
reply which encouraged George
TO fish in his waistcoat pocket for
small, square plush-lined box with
sparkling content.