Windfalls 193 



the world, and give to it the perfeft fruit of 

 man's ingenuity, dwells in those northern 

 climes where there is a long, bright, health- 

 giving, thought-inspiring winter. 



There would be little satisfaction in eat- 

 ing a windfall apple were it not for its 

 suggestiveness. I never came into this 

 orchard for food. I had long since starved 

 had this been necessary. But to day-dream 

 is my errand. I was ever cautioned when a 

 child about eating cheese at night, lest I 

 should see my grandmother. I never eat the 

 begrudged sour apples of my miserly neigh- 

 bor but I do see my grandfather, and I am 

 right glad of it. An old orchard is the en- 

 trance gate to the fields of retrospection, and 

 there is much joy in fondly calling back 

 " the good old times" that you know only 

 through report. The comparisons between 

 a long-dead yesterday and the present mo- 

 ment afford endless entertainment, but do 

 not spoil the sport with the rot of hero 

 worship. Do not believe that all the great 

 people are dead. There are others quite 

 their equal awaiting their opportunity. Alas ! 

 this may never come. But how unwise to 

 discard the old ways and objecis because of 



