ooked up. "Do you remember good old Chloe, who used to come
every Saturday to scrub for me? Well, something she told me of an
experience she once had, when she was a little girl, put the idea of this
tale into my head; and I'll read you

THE APPLE WOMAN'S STORY

Franz and Emilie and Peter Wenzel were little German children, born in
America. Their father was a teacher, and his children were alone with him
except for the good old German woman, Anna, who was cook and nurse too in
the household. She tried to teach Franz and Emilie to be good children, and
took great care of Peter, the sturdy three-year-old boy, a fat, solemn
baby, whose hugs were the greatest comfort his father had in the world.

Franz and Emilie had learned German along with their English by hearing it
spoken in the house, and it was a convenience at times, for instance, when
they wished to say something before the colored apple woman which they did
not care to have her understand; but the apple woman did not think they
were polite when they used an unknown tongue before her.

"Go off fum here," she would say to them when they began to talk in German.
"None o' that lingo round my stand. Go off and learn manners." And when
Franz and Emilie found she was in earnest they would ask her to forgive
them in the politest English they were acquainted with; for they were very
much attached to the clean, kind apple woman, whose stand was near their
father's house. They admired her bright bandana headdress and thought her
the most interesting person in the world. As for the apple woman, she had
had so many unpleasant experiences with teasing children that she did not
take Franz and Emilie into her favor all at once, but for some time
accepted their pennies and gave them their apples when they came to buy,
watching them suspiciously with her sharp eyes to make sure that they were
not intending to play her any trick.

But even before they had become regular customers she decided under her
breath that they were "nice chillen;" and when she came to know them better
her kind heart overflowed to them.

One morning as they smiled and nodded to her on the way to school, she
called out and beckoned.

"Apples for the little baskets?"

"Not to-day," answered Emilie.

She beckoned to them again with determination, and the children approached.

"We forgot to brush our teeth last night," explained Franz, "so we haven't
any penny."

"I forgot it," said Emilie, "and Fra