A green line that ticks:

import java.applet.*;
import java.awt.*;

public class Threads1 extends Applet implements Runnable {

   int width, height;
   int i = 0;
   Thread t = null;
   boolean threadSuspended;

   // Executed when the applet is first created.
   public void init() {
      System.out.println("init(): begin");
      width = getSize().width;
      height = getSize().height;
      setBackground( Color.black );
      System.out.println("init(): end");
   }

   // Executed when the applet is destroyed.
   public void destroy() {
      System.out.println("destroy()");
   }

   // Executed after the applet is created; and also whenever
   // the browser returns to the page containing the applet.
   public void start() {
      System.out.println("start(): begin");
      if ( t == null ) {
         System.out.println("start(): creating thread");
         t = new Thread( this );
         System.out.println("start(): starting thread");
         threadSuspended = false;
         t.start();
      }
      else {
         if ( threadSuspended ) {
            threadSuspended = false;
            System.out.println("start(): notifying thread");
            synchronized( this ) {
               notify();
            }
         }
      }
      System.out.println("start(): end");
   }

   // Executed whenever the browser leaves the page containing the applet.
   public void stop() {
      System.out.println("stop(): begin");
      threadSuspended = true;
   }

   // Executed within the thread that this applet created.
   public void run() {
      System.out.println("run(): begin");
      try {
         while (true) {
            System.out.println("run(): awake");

            // Here's where the thread does some work
            ++i;  // this is shorthand for "i = i+1;"
            if ( i == 10 ) {
               i = 0;
            }
            showStatus( "i is " + i );

            // Now the thread checks to see if it should suspend itself
            if ( threadSuspended ) {
               synchronized( this ) {
                  while ( threadSuspended ) {
                     System.out.println("run(): waiting");
                     wait();
                  }
               }
            }
            System.out.println("run(): requesting repaint");
            repaint();
            System.out.println("run(): sleeping");
            t.sleep( 1000 );  // interval given in milliseconds
         }
      }
      catch (InterruptedException e) { }
      System.out.println("run(): end");
   }

   // Executed whenever the applet is asked to redraw itself.
   public void paint( Graphics g ) {
      System.out.println("paint()");
      g.setColor( Color.green );
      g.drawLine( width, height, i * width / 10, 0 );
   }
}