GETTING AC^AINTED WITH THE TREES 



vania likes the country roadsides, especially 

 along loamy banks. Here it has unequaled 

 opportunity for hanging out its attractively 

 colored fruits. As one drives along in early 

 fall, just before hard frost, these fine -looking 

 little tomato -like globes of orange and red 

 are advertised in the wind by the absence of 

 the early dropping foliage. They look luscious 

 and tempting; indeed, they are tempting! 

 Past experience — you need but one — had 

 prepared me for this "bunko" fruit; but my 

 friend would not believe me, one day in early 

 October — he must taste for himself. Taste he 

 did, and generously, for the first bite is pleas- 

 ing, and does not alarm, wherefore he had 

 time, before his insulted nerves of mouth and 

 tongue gave full warning, to absorb two of 

 the 'simmons. Whew ! What a face he made 

 when the puckering juice got to work, and 

 convinced him that he had been sucking 

 a disguised lump of alum. Choking and 

 gasping, he called for the water we were far 

 from ; and he won't try an unfrosted per- 

 simmon again ! 



My clerical friend who brought home the 



230 



