THE STORY OF JOHNNY APPLESEED
“And now for the story:
“Once there was a man who was very, very poor. He had been a farmer and no one raised such fine crops as did he. By and by, in some way, he lost his farm and was left all alone.
“He had always wanted to do some grand thing, something that would make many people happy, but what could he do? He had no money. All he had was a small boat.
“As he trudged along one day he saw some old sacks lying under a tree. As he looked at them he had a splendid thought. A thought that seemed to have wings and came flying from far away. Oh, it was a beautiful thought, and seemed to be singing a little song in his heart as he picked up the sacks and placed them in his boat, jumped in himself and floated away.
“As he rowed down the stream the man watched the shore with keen eyes. When he saw an apple orchard he rowed to land, tied his boat, hastened to the homes near the orchards and asked for work.
“He cut wood, carried water, and did all sorts of odd chores. In payment for this work he asked for food, and what else do you suppose?
“The people were so surprised at what he asked for they could hardly believe him. He asked that he might have the seeds from the apples on the ground under the trees—only the seeds.
“Of course they gladly gave him such a simple thing, and as he cut the fruit the neighbour children swarmed about him.
“From one place to another he went, always adding to his store of seeds.
“Some generous farmers gave him also cuttings of peach, pear, and plum trees, and grape vines.
“Day after day, day after day, he cut up the fruit, while the children sat at his feet and listened to thrilling tales of what he had seen in his travels. Of the Indians with their gay blankets and feathers, of their camps where they lived in the forests.
“Of their dances and war paint; their many coloured, beaded necklaces and jingling, silver chains and bracelets. Of their beady-eyed babies strapped to boards.
“Of the wolves which came out at night to watch him as he sat by his fire; of the beautiful deer who ran across his path.
“He sang funny songs for the children and taught them all sorts of games.
“The children sat at his feet and listened to thrilling tales”
“When it came time to go on, they begged him to stay. Never before had they been so amused, but on he went, and when his bags were full, and he had a goodly store of food, he started on to carry out the splendid thought. Oh, it was a grand thing he was going to do.
“The little boat went on and on, till houses were no more to be seen. Splendid forests lined the banks here and there. Then he paused, for this was what he was seeking—a place where no one lived.
“He landed and went about with a bag of seeds, and when he reached an open place in a forest he planted seeds and cuttings of the trees and vines; then wove a brush fence about them to keep the deer away. He then hastened back to his boat and drifted on.
“In many, many places he landed and planted seeds, and all the orchards of the Ohio and Mississippi Valley we owe to this man.
“Years after when settlers came looking for a place to live they chose these spots where, to their great surprise, they found all sorts of trees loaded with fruit.
“This man’s name was John Chapman, but he was nicknamed Johnny Appleseed.
“The settlers were glad indeed when he appeared and told them the orchards were the fruit of his labours, and they were all eager to entertain him.
“And so he ended his life in this land of fruit and plenty.
“I must tell you a story of one certain little tree.
“In one of the houses of the settlement where Johnny Appleseed loved to stay there lived a dear little boy, just a wee toddler, named Jack.
“Dearly did the child love to follow the old man about as he worked, for Johnny Appleseed’s work was by no means finished when the trees were bearing fruit.
“Those trees had to be pruned; that meant all the dead branches had to be cut off. In the spring the blossoms had to be sprayed to keep the bugs out of the cores of the fruit; the trunk had to be watched to see that it was not marred in any way, as a small gash might mean the loss of the tree in time.
“One day Johnny, with little Jack, went to the village post office, and there found a letter and a package.
“It was the child’s birthday, and he was most interested in the small parcel thinking it might be for him.
“‘Jack,’ cried Johnny after reading the letter, ‘what do you s’pose is in it? Look!’ and he disclosed a mass of brown glossy seeds. ‘The letter says they are from a wonderful new kind of apple. How would you like an apple tree all your own for a birthday present?’
“‘Yeth,’ lisped Jack, ‘an apple tree all my own.’
“‘Then let’s pretend you are another Johnny Appleseed, starting an orchard. Bring your cart.’
“Jack’s eyes shone at the word ‘pretend,’ for he dearly loved it, and soon came drawing the little red cart, in which Johnny placed the package of seeds.
“‘Now we’ll go and get a lunch,’ said the old man as they walked to the kitchen door.
“Jack rapped on the door, and Mother appeared.
“‘If you please, Marm,’ said Johnny, ‘we are going on an expedition. We have a birthday and we want to celebrate it, for we have a wonderful gift. Some seeds which when planted will bring forth a very unusual apple tree. May we have a lunch for this journey?’
“Mother’s eyes twinkled as she hastily placed in a small basket sandwiches and gingerbread.
“Johnny thanked her and away they went. After what seemed quite a walk for the small sturdy legs they halted in a grassy nook beside the brook.
“‘Here,’ said the old man, ‘is a grand place for your apple tree to grow.’ And together they bored a hole in the rich earth.
“Jack knelt down and from his chubby hands dropped the beautiful brown seeds. Then he kissed his tiny palm and waved it over the hole as he cried:
“‘Good night, little seeds. Send me a little tree by and by when you wake up. I’ll be waiting for it and will take good care of it.’
“They covered the seeds with the dark rich loam, then ate their lunch. Presently Jack was thirsty, and the old man fashioned a cup from a broad leaf and filled it at a near-by spring. Jack drank, and the little seeds also drank.
“Then the old man built a picket fence about the spot so no harm could come to it. As this was finished the bell on the corn barn told them dinner was ready.
“‘Mudder,’ cried Jack, bursting in to the house, ‘we planted the seeds and the tree will be my own. Isn’t that fine?’
“‘Fine, indeed! I never heard of a better birthday present. It will last for years and years, and think of the fruit it will bear!’
“As the child ate he dreamed of the tree as it would be some day; full of rosy apples, and he was very proud of that magic spot beside the brook.
“Each day he ran out to look at it, and one morning he found the ground above the seeds humped up just a little. Another day the earth was cracked open, and soon after that to his great joy, he found a dear little sprig peeping up at him as though crying, ‘Here I am! How do you do?’
“He danced about shouting for joy, and each day after that, could fairly see the little sprig turn into a tree.
“Johnny told him how the seeds sent tiny roots down into the earth and pushed the stem up through the ground, and Jack could hardly leave the spot which had now grown so dear.
“When the little tree was thirsty, the rain gave it drink. The kind wind blew and blew, bringing fresh sweet air for it to breathe, and with every whiff it seemed to swell.
“The spring sunshine warmed it down to its roots, and in time there were twigs with leaf buds, which presently uncurled and opened wide.
“‘See!’ said Johnny, ‘as the wind blows them they look like baby hands throwing kisses!’
“‘Yeth!’ cried Jack, ‘maybe they are the kitheth I planted.’
“‘To be sure,’ Johnny replied, and together they watched it grow day after day, week after week, month after month.
“Jack’s next birthday found the little tree a picture to behold. The trunk was sturdy, and on it there were many branches appearing here and there.
“Jack was quite a boy by this time, and soon after his little dresses were replaced by tiny trousers. His baby talk was no more, and he was now old enough to help care for the little tree.
“He dug about its roots with his wee spade, and Johnny showed him how to enrich the soil, and told him many things about the care of trees.
“It was so splendid to know that as the tree spread its branches in the air, so it spread its roots under the ground, giving it such a firm support the wind would have to be very strong indeed to blow it over.
“‘How does it drink?’ the boy asked one day.
“‘Oh, such a fine way. It is a story all by itself,’ replied Johnny. ‘At the end of each root there are wee spongy mouths. When the rain comes they drink it and whisper “Run fast to the trunk.”
“‘As it rushes through the trunk, the trunk cries in a gruff voice, “Run along to the branches.”
“‘The branches wave and in sweet tones cry, “Welcome, run along to the twigs, they need you.” The twigs drink it and whisper, “Run along to the stems; they are just waiting for you.” The stems send it out to the tip end of the leaves as they wildly wave and laugh aloud over their sweet gift, for this water in the tree is sweet food that nourishes every part and is called sap.’
“This was a fine story, and every time it rained Jack watched the little tree, and thought he could almost hear the voices sending the moisture on and on.
“As time passed the tree became stronger and larger, and finally one spring day when Jack was quite a big boy he found buds on the branches.
“‘Buds!’ he called in great excitement, and real buds they were, which the whole family came out to admire.
“The buds blossomed, and as the petals snowed down the air was sweet with their fragrance.
“They looked like a lot of gnomes dressed for a party”
“When Jack found baby apples on his tree he wanted to celebrate, and Mother told him that when they were ripe he could invite his friends and have an apple party.
“An apple party! That would be something new, and he hastened to tell the good news at school.
“‘They are wonderful apples,’ he said. ‘No one in this part of the country has any like them. I tell you we’ll have the fun at that party. They are turning crimson; you never saw such a pretty apple tree!’
“A pretty tree it was indeed, and looked just like a Christmas tree all dressed up.
“One day Johnny pronounced the fruit ripe and ready to eat.
“‘Hurrah! To-morrow we can have the party,’ cried Jack, tossing his cap into the air.
“Now the fun began. Mother baked all sorts of goodies, and the little home was made spick-and-span; even the door yard was swept for this occasion.
“The day dawned sweet and clear. After breakfast Jack ran out to take one look at his beloved tree, but alas! What do you s’pose?
“‘What!’ cried the audience in one breath.
“A cow had broken into the orchard, tramped the fence down, and was feasting on the rosy fruit! A few branches were broken, and a sorry sight it was, to be sure.
“Jack shrieked and threw himself on the ground sobbing:
“‘My dear little tree I planted with my own baby hands! I loved it so! Now it is ruined!’
“Johnny Appleseed heard the wail and hastened to the scene.
“‘It isn’t ruined, Jack; it can be made almost as good as new. See!’ He skilfully cut the broken branches, covered the wounded spots with a paste made of clay, talking the while to the little tree as though it were a person whose wounds he was binding up so carefully.
“‘See!’ he said. ‘This clay paste will harden and keep the bugs out of the wood until it can heal over. It will soon be all right again, but it is too bad. Such a picture as it was, and the apples are most all gone!’
“The apples!—Jack suddenly remembered. ‘The apple party was to be to-day! What can we do?’
“‘Well, my boy, don’t you worry. The apple party will be to-day just the same. We’ll take this basket and I’ll show you something I’ve kept as a surprise.
“‘I planted the seeds that were left over in the far corner lot, and those trees are as pretty a sight as you want to see. I have been watching them as we have this. Come along.’
“The two trudged on, Jack wiping away his tears and beginning to wear a rainbow smile after the shower.
“‘It’s a joke, isn’t it?’ he said. ‘That cow had an apple party all by herself. I s’pose she didn’t like it because I didn’t invite her.
“‘Oh!’ he exclaimed suddenly, ‘there they are. How beautiful!’
“And indeed they were beautiful. A number of trees exactly like his own, all looking so thrifty, and the branches dotted with rosy fruit.
“‘We’ll pick the apples and tie the stems to the branches of your own little tree, because that is where you planned to have your party,’ said Johnny.
“Together they picked the apples, and with green string tied the stems to the branches of the little tree.
“‘You’d hardly know it happened!’ cried the boy in joyous tones as the work was finished, and both stood back to admire; and true it was, for the apples really seemed to be growing, and so the apple party was a success after all.
“The children had their lunch under the little tree, then each picked his own apple and ate it before you could say, ‘Jack Robinson.’
“‘I know a great thing to do,’ cried Jack, as they were about to throw away the core; ‘save the seeds and plant them, and we’ll all be Johnny Appleseeds. You’ll each have a grand orchard started on your farm.’
“‘Splendid!’ laughed the old man. ‘If every seed brings forth a tree there will be great rejoicing when you take the apples to market, for they are certainly the best apples I ever tasted and should bring a good price.’
“Wild with excitement, the children trooped home, and before long the glossy seeds were covered up in the ground, waiting for the wonderful thing that was to happen to them.
“In time there were many trees bearing the rosy fruit. All through one little boy having such a fine birthday party.
“A tree is the dearest of treasures. I mean any kind of tree. It does so many things. It gives fruit and shade. It gives the birds a place to build their homes, and in return you have their beautiful music all through the summer. It gives the squirrels a place to hide their nuts. From the trunk many insects find their food.
“If it were not for the trees there would be no mince pies. From the trees are built the ships which bring from foreign countries these many goodies. How could we have any houses, or any furniture to put in them, if there were no trees? See that splendid back log. It has kept us warm all the long night. It came from a grand old tree that furnished fuel for many a winter fire.
“And now I must stop, for I fear my tale has been too long. If it has, please excuse me.”
“How splendid!” chorused the audience. And little Allspice begged for another.