Amanuensis Monday - The Legend of a Lemon Tree

Here is a story and a few pictures my mother, Delcie received in early Spring 1987 from her sister, Pauline Handy Clifton.

　The Legend of a Lemon Tree:

When dad become ill in the Fall and Winter of 1954-1955 before he died in May of that year. He did not seem to have much strength or appetite… He ate many oranges grapefruits and also had Mama to make hot or cold lemonade often for him… each time taking a seed from the fruit he had chosen and planting it in the dirt of a potted plant Mama had by a kitchen window. Soon a seed germinated, not knowing which fruit it was, he watched hopefully as it begun to grow leaves and when it was still tiny, he suggested to Mama that they transplant it into a pot of it’s very own and take to Guy and Pauline to grown in their basement window…so that she did!

   

The small tree grew there in Winter and spent the Springs, Summers and Autumns out of doors. It was never transplanted but once more, knowing if it became too large, Guy cold not carry it up and down flights of steps. It was fed and watered often. It has spent a life time in four different houses. Each time finding its place-of-honor in the Clifton’s basement. It bloomed a very few times but never bore fruit until winter 1986-87... After 32 years we learned it was indeed a Lemon. It has 10 lemons. The tree has begun to die, as Spring 87 begins to near, I wonder, if it too will leave us in May as dad did?

January 1987

By Pauline Clifton