120 WITH EARTH AND SKY 
automatically to its own place. The sorting was 
done by the apples themselves, not a voice in 
the air, but the judgment was as truly awarded 
as if the thunder had pronounced the sentence; 
and there was no wailing. The apples accepted 
the verdict of their own growth and went their 
several ways. 
Then the proprietor of the orchard took me in 
the car and went in and out, happy in and happy 
out, of acres and thousands and thousands of 
bushels of apples. The trees were loaded down. 
They hung to the ground under their weight of 
fruit, not a tree complaining at its load but happy 
in it as God’s folks are in their burdens. This 
car could do everything but turn somersets. 
It performed all sorts of apple-tree tricks, and 
followed the apple rows and apple trees like a 
bronco follows a steer. The car did not exactly 
climb any apple tree while I was occupant, though 
I think it had done so at a sign. It liked this 
job, that was apparent. It ran up to the moun- 
taintop, wriggled in among the apple pickers and 
apple trees, headed downward when it might 
with all accuracy be said to stand on its head, 
but never have rush of blood to the head, ex- 
plored ravines crowded with the glowing glory of 
roseate apples, capered up on the other hill, and 
always eagerly and smilingly. _ 
I was in my shirt sleeves ready for business. 
I could climb a tree and turn an apple somerset, 
eat an apple or pick it, J was ready. I ate an 
