OfthefruitsoftheyearIgivemyvotetotheorange.Inthefirstplaceitisaperennial–ifnotinactualfactatleastinthegreengrocer’sshop.Onthedayswhendessertisanamegiventoahandfulofchocolatesandalittlepreservedgingerwhenmacédoinedefruitsisthetitlebestowedonsomeraisinsandtwoprunesthentheorangehoweversourcomesnoblytotherescue;andonthoseotherdaysofplentywhencherriesandstrawberriesandkiwi-fruitsriottogetheruponthetabletheorangesweeterthaneverisstilltheretoholditsown.Breadandricebeefandmuttoneggsandmilkarenotmorenecessarytoanorderedexistencethantheorange.
Itiswellthatthecommonestfruitshouldbealsothebest.OfthevirtuesoftheorangeIhavenotroomfullytospeak.Ithaspropertiesofhealthgivingasitcuresinfluenzaandestablishesthecomplexion.Itiscleanforwhoeverhandlesitonitswaytoyourtablebuthandlesitsoutercoveringitstopcoatwhichisleftinthehall.Itisroundandformsanexcellentsubstitutewiththeyoungforatinyfootball.Thepipscanbeflickedatyourenemiesandquiteasmallpieceofpeelmakesaslideforanoldgentleman.
Yetwiththeorangewegoliveyearinandyearout.Thatspeakswellfortheorange.Thefactisthatthereisanhonestyabouttheorangewhichappealstoallofus.Ifitisgoingtobebad–forthebestofusarebadsometimes–itbeginstobebadfromtheoutsidenotfromtheinside.Howmanyapearwhichpresentsabloomingfacetotheworldisrottenatthecore.Howmanyaninnocent-lookingappleisharboringaworminthebud.Buttheorangehasnosecretfaults.Itsoutsideisamirrorofitsinsideandifyouarequickyoucantelltheshopmansobeforeheslipsitintothebag.
