Show o- o ox 1 ot t t. t I UNDER THE f i FRESH APPLE BLOSSOMS i I I 0 4 f- f X By MILDRED GOODRIDGE y I. X r t Is I Western Newspaper Union ETTIE GORDON is coming coming com com- N ing home I henr tear observed ob- ob served ser Richard Lane meeting meeting meet meet- ing hIs frIend Levi Barnes on the village street with And tier her sister her was the reply and then the two men looked strangely evasively one Into eJes ot of the other acting as though they would welcome further d discussion ot of an Interesting subject but each averse to to betray the desire I of at his lils mInd Richard Lane went on on his way deeply reflective He was nn an odd dd studious young man lIe looked more grove grave and settled just now than thun ever for tor two things were press pressing g on his he mind was trying to hIde a secret secret se- se cret he was was was' In In love hopelessly hopelesslY he decIded The rr e belle ot of the vI village lage was Nettle Gordon and her ber pretty younger sister sis sis- ter Constance Constanc stood next In favor with the village swaIns Richard and LevI had known the thew for several se years Moth were constant visitors I at the Gordon home They were u Ii I happy friendly quartet Then carne came carnen n a break A rl rich h relative In the city had Invited the girls to pass a soda social I season there No word Tord of at love had ever passed between the couples RIchard was deeply In love Ive with Nettle He believed be- be lIe ed that Barnes was too In his humble self deprecating yay way Rl Richard Rich Rich- hord h- h ord ard decided that Nettle wIth her bright joyous ways longed more for wealth and gayety than the simple home life lite he could offer her Then the two girls went to the city and word reachIng the village of their gay ay fashionable life there both young men concluded that the Gordon girls would never settle down to theIr old QuIet life lite RIchard amid his gloomy reverie was ad addressed twice by a lady he was passing by before lie he looked tip lp and recognized the mother of oC the theriL girls riL I 1 suppose you have heard th that t the girls are comIng home next week Mr bane Inne she remarked Yes I heard of at that responded In hIs quiet reserved way It Ita n a great contrast to them thIs hum m life Ufe after the gayety and varle Tarle v r of the city It i viii be n a change Nettie Nettie Net Net- tie writes and rind Constance too saId Airs Mrs GOrdon i Judge from what they write write me that they Crave clave the restfulness restfulness restful restful- ness of the dear old hom and the good loyal friends frIens s t they e have known so long Nettle Nettie Is quite lid The city doctor says sh Is on the v verge rge ot of a n nervous collapse th the result ot of I late i e hours and l f continuous going about Poor ioor Nettle Nettie Her last letter told of at how v s 's she le would love Jove to get here here Just as all nature nature was putting on the green and flowery garb ot of spring beauty beauty She said It would be like heaven to look out of her bedroom window mornIngs mornings- with the gentle breeze wa wafting In thE odor ollor of at the blossoms blos- blos of th the apple tree just under It Why Mr Lane you planted that tree for us four Cour years ears ago Dont Don't you OU remember re- re member Why yes yes-I think think I do stammered starn stam mere mere-d Richard his sensitive mInd fluttering flut- flut at the allusion She will miss that tree dreadfully went on Mrs Gordon I had bad not the heart to tell her that the great Ice storm had broken It down just after Christmas And she mentioned the tree almost almost al- al most unconsciously murmured RIchard RIchardIn In nn an audible tone lone Yes and spoke ot of you planting It but she never writes without asking about you you Richard mchard Lanes Lane's heart throbbed a new Inspiration ot of hope as he left leCt the lady The emotion shadowed later ns as he reflected that Nettle after her bright cIty experience would re regard rd hIm as duller and more commonplace than ever And then too as he thought of Levi evI Barnes and hIs sprightly talented tal- tal ways ice he felt that he had a dangerous dan dan- gt rous rival rhal But Ill I'll do It he said to himself r resolutely She may not love me but she will love the tree That Is something something some some- thing decIded the poor unselfish fellow tel tel- low What RIchard was thinkIng ot of doing was to remove remo the stump ot of the old tree and plant a new one In the garden gar gar- ar den ot of the house his father had left him there were were a dozen healthy apple trees just coming Into blossom There was only one way ot of transplanting such at this advanced season of vega vege- tation The dirt about them must be disturbed os as little as possible Wh Lane Mr Gordon corning comIng upon Richard mchard In his yard the next day what In the world are yoU up to toe RIchard blushed like a shy schoolboy school school- bo boy caught at mischief as he ex- ex ne He had two men mn helping and anda a horse and flat wagon lie worked the hardest of them th all The transplanting trans trans- planting was a success Then for tor two days he was almost a constant vIsitor nt at the Gordon home watching and Watering wu- wu the new apple opple tree Nettle came home at night On the train she and Constance had met some seine friends Incidentally the great tee Ice storm was referred to She learned of at the destruction ot of her favorite tree Those referring to the incident had not learned ot of the replacement Nettle was weak and nervous She was In that unstrung mood where the slightest slight slight- est cst IncIdent distressed her and she shed tears ot of disappointment Nettle was enough of at an Invalid to spend the next morning In bed The homo home nursing the kIndly mother care I however began to revive the worn spirIts later Inter In the day As she got ready to go down stairs she chanced to glance from the window A cry ot of delight broke from her ber lipS lipS' brinGing her mother Into the room Oh mother I exclaimed Nettle NettIe with sparkling eyes sonic some one has hns told an untruth about the apple tree beIng destroyed destroyed de- de In a storm Oh Ob the sweet sweet blossoms just comIng out an and their ex I perfume could kiss them every ery one onel I It Is a new tree Nettle said her ber mother and Mrs Gordon went on to explain She noted that Nettles Nettle's face tace glowed with pleasure and gratitude The mother lIked Richard Lane Lune and smiled as she remarked I suppose Mr Ir Lane wo would ld give ghe his whole hole orchard for one ot of those kIsses you speak about Nettie and her hr laughter daughter turned her happy blushIng face fuce awa away so her u r mother could not read her confusion It was the following da day that RIchard Richard RIch RIch- ard strolled timorously In the direction direction tion of the Gordon home lIe He met Levi Barnes just the leaving gateway fins flus and excited Speak a good word for Cor me will you DIck like thc friend you are lre lie he shot out at Richard on the fly ay What ab about ut was the pm puzzled query luery l lOh Oh you know I I laughed Barnes md swung on his way way Yes WWI with a sInking heart RIchard he be did indeed Inde-ed know lie He was about to turn back when he noticed Nettle seated In a lawn chaIr under the ne new apple tree Oh jOh Mr Lane she cried out brightly bright bright- ly you must come In and let me thank you OU for this delicious trent treat and she waved a spray of budding floral beauty She led him Into a chat In her pretty entertaining way She told him how she appreciated his wonderful thoughtfulness his arduous work to give ghe her pleasure Nettle looked so ng In her helpless InvalidIsm so Interesting In her confiding friend ly Iy way In which she treated hIm I Oh so much grace and daInty beauty was not for his him heart sank then he became grave ra e of face and voice Nettle stared at Richard In do puzzled wonder and he began to tell what a splendid fellow Levi LeTI Barnes llames was He was honest and earnest In his hs praIse but hl heart h rt Ji seemed med rea Ilg pl th the time Then Ihen a sudden lights her mind Her glance softened she gazed at thIs noble loble self sacrificing man with an In her eyes that thrIlled him Is It about his askIng Constance to marry him she asked Oh that Is settled He needs no pleader with sIster Constance gasped RIchard and he turned white and trembled Then lIe He did not finish the sentence U Avast A. A vast heart or of hope overwhelmed o him They were Interrupted by Mrs Irs Gor- Gor don Come again soon wont you spoke r- r r ettie Her eyes eves flashed the earnest welcome ot of that InvItation The best the truest truest th the noblest man I 1 ever knew I cried d Nettle Nettie os as Richard Lane passed through the garden garden gar gar- den gate She threw herself Into her mothers mother's arms Her ITer happy tears gushed forth Oh mother dear mother she whispered I fervently love lo him I 1 Ilove love him I |