122 



THE APPLE. 



the right and left ! Now you have got a Tolman 

 sweet ; you imagine you can feel that single meridian 

 line that divides it into two hemispheres. Now a 

 greening fills your hand, you feel its fine quality be- 

 neath its rough coat Now you have hooked a swaar, 

 you recognize its full face ; now a Vandevere or a King 

 rolls down from the apex above, and you bag it at once. 

 When you were a school-boy you stowed these away 

 in your pockets and ate them along the road and at 

 recess, and again at noon-time ; and they, in a meas- 

 ure, corrected the effects of the cake and pie with 

 w T hich your indulgent mother filled your lunch-basket. 



The boy is indeed the true apple-eater, and is not 

 to be questioned how he came by the fruit with which 

 his pockets are filled. It belongs to him and he may 

 steal it if it cannot be had in any other way. His own 

 juicy flesh craves the juicy flesh of the apple. Sap 

 draws sap. His fruit eating has little reference to the 

 state of his appetite. Whether he be full of meat or 

 empty of meat he wants the apple just the same. Be- 

 fore meal or after meal it never comes amiss. The 

 farm-boy munches apples all day long. He has nests 

 of them in the hay-mow, mellowing, to which he makes 

 frequent visits. Sometimes old Brindle, having access 

 through the open door, smells them out and makes 

 short work of them. 



The apple is indeed the fruit of youth. As we grow 

 old we crave apples less. It is an ominous sign. 

 When you are ashamed to be seen eating them on the 



