CHAPTER XVI
WHEN THE LAW IS ON.
ETHEL was out in the little orchard south of the house with Minerva, looking for “queen’s lace.” She had two purposes in mind. To teach Minerva something more of nature and to make a conventionalized design of the ground plan of the flower for use in her everlasting embroidery.
“Mis. Vernon.”
“What is it, Minerva?”
“Don’t the apples we have in the city come from the country?”
“Why, yes,” said Ethel.
She told me of the conversation later, I being at the time fishing for trout (in all innocence) with James (who knew the law).
“Well, then, how come that apples here is so little and city apples is so big?”
“Why,” said Ethel, “these haven’t grown yet.”
“Do they grow on the tree?” said Minerva.