198 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Arrived at boyhood's wild, untutored age, 

 Fate well-nigh wrote the ' ' flnls ' ' on his page, 

 And hut for modern sclentitlc skill, 

 Salem Darius had but once been HI. 

 But, thanks to many a bitter dose and draught 

 Under compulsion hardly gulped and quaffed, 

 Salem survived, with scarcely an Impression 

 Of several hundred colics In succession. 

 Scarce from the awful pangs once more set free 

 He sought with speed his favorite orchard tree. 

 And oft his greed unwittingly divulged 

 By the abnormal way his pockets bulged. 

 Green apples were his passion and his bane; 

 They twisted him with many a tortuous pain. 



And yet the moment he could stand up straight 

 He filled his hat and pockets full— and ate. 



In course of time, this greedy village youth. 

 Attained such stature, long-limbed and uncouth. 

 It shamed him longer to endure the rule 

 Of the fair teacher of the village school. 

 And so, his father furnishing him the dollars. 

 He left his home and cast his lot with scholars. 

 The college wa.s not large— but 'twas select 

 (More so than Salem had been led t' expect) 

 And It was only by sore toll, alas. 

 That he maintained the tall and wagged the class. 



Meanwhile his "apple tooth" survived, of course — 

 Indeed, his appetite, if aught, grew worse. 



But, pressed for long due sums, too poor to buy 

 Such store of fruit as would his need supply. 

 Too honest far to beg, conviction grew 

 He e'en must steal, as he was wont to do! 



It chanced the finest orchard in the town 

 Belonged to Salem's friend. Professor Brown. 

 It sorely went against the young man's grain 

 To give his benefactor needless pain; 

 Yet, what In conscience could Darius do? 

 For Brown had luscious Fameuse, Pippins too, 



And Seek-no-furthers, veined and specked with red. 

 And Pound Sweets, 1o the summer sunshine wed. 

 'Twas plain. If he mvst steal (his conscience said). 

 From all the circumstances of the case. 

 Professor Brown's young orchard was the place. 



Thus moved by reason and by appetite, 

 Salem Darius one dark and autumn night 



Toward the professor's orchard set his face. 



He found the house as black as any spade— 

 Except the parlor windows. Peeping In, 

 He saw Miss Brown (an intellectual maid. 

 By day severe and somewhat thin) 



Now sitting on the sofa, flreward-faced. 



With Tutor Doyle's long arm around her waist. 

 "Aha!" quoth Salem;" this is mighty well! 

 If Doyle molests me, I've somewhat to tell." 



