RUSSELL] A BOY'S FRIENDLY TREE 307 



Lawrence County. The apple which grows on this tree is a beauti- 

 ful round fruit, usually with a yellowish background and pale red 

 stripes running up and down at frequent intervals on one side. It 

 surely excels in beauty and as for flavor — I would not care to 

 attempt to express in words this superior quality, for one can 

 appreciate it fully, only by eating the ripe mellow apple itself. 



This particular tree is perhaps a more beautiful specimen of its 

 species, or of apple trees as a whole, than we are accustomed to see. 

 It divides into three main branches about three feet from the ground 

 and these in turn divide so as to form a tree very symmetrical in 

 outline and covering a wide space so that it affords much shade in 

 summer. 



My old friend is situated in the front door yard of my home, 

 hardly eight feet away from the veranda. It is so near that one 

 large branch reaches up and over onto the roof. How long it has 

 been growing there I cannot tell, but I do know it has been there as 

 far back as I can recall. 



There are many experiences that I have had with old St. 

 Lawrence, of which I always delight to tell, and perhaps a few 

 may prove interesting. One of the first remembrances I have of it, 

 is that of eating green hard apples, with of course a painful result 

 which is difficult to relate. After such an occasion I would not 

 think quite so much of my friend for a few days, but as I look back 

 I can blame only myself, and justify the tree for of course it did 

 not wish to lose its fruit when green but wanted to raise it to matur- 

 ity. Besides little boys should know better than to eat green 

 apples after being warned by watchful parents. 



I remember other times, when on occasion, I was sent by my 

 mother to cut a switch from this same tree. I never thought at the 

 time how it must hurt the tree to have me break off switches, but 

 nevertheless I was thoughtfully careful to pick a dead branch, and 

 like a true friend my tree offered plenty of such branches. How- 

 ever, I was usually sent after a different kind of a switch the second 

 time. The fact that the switches came from this tree, I never held 

 against it, for of course it wasn't its fault and doubtless it would 

 have been better pleased had I left it alone. 



I always preferred to climb this tree above all others and it 

 became one of my favorite haunts. As it was so near the house I 

 could easily climb from it to the roof of the veranda and you may 

 imagine this was great fun. 



