The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-12-28
WHOLE NO 1926
The strawberry Boy.

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| The following simple aud unvarnished
story is strictly true. 1t is given as a
horticultural Item, to illustrate the pro-
gress in early life of young horticul.
turist in that branch Of industry.
Fourteen years ago last May, on Satur-
DAY at noon, a boy called at my dwelling
house, to sell strawberries. He was Of
slender form, apparently about fourteen
years Of age, with bright and intelligent
countenance. The fruit was beautiful and
tempting, but / had bought enough at
market in the morning for dinner and for
tea, and refused to purchase more. He
observed that his Strawberries had iust
been picked from the vines, and would
keep for the Sunday. Ny wife was much
pleased with his gentle and pleasant man
ners, and decided at once TO purchase, and
% engage daily supply from him for the
season. Upon inquiry we learned that,
with his falher and young brother, he cul-
liyated vegetables and fruit to sell in the
Cincinnati market, on a small place near
Newport Keatucky, that he had taste
for horticulture and for books, and that no
effort was spared to improve his knowl-
edge in both. In summer he cultivated
the soil, in winter the mind.
For three years We were regularly sup
piled by this boy, from the earliest to the
latest period Of the season, with strawber-
ries freshly gathered, of fine quality, and
at moderate prices; then with raspberrieS
in succession.
The fourth year we missed him on his
accustomed round, and feared that we
should see him no more. My wife felt dis
appointed good deal about it.
He was so intelligent and obliging, SO
gentle and engaging in his manners, that
she had taken a great fancy to him. Be
side all this, where could we supply our ta-
bic with such fine strawberries, brought
daily to the house? Various inquiries
were made, but nothing could be heard of
him. She only knew his Christian name;
the other, if she ever heard it bad escaped
her memory. She recolected to have OBJ
served an occasional hectic flush on his
cheek, and feared that the fell destroyer,
consumption, had marked him for its own.
Poor boyl she said, we shall never see
him again, he has run his race, and will
soon be forgotten.
Years had passed away and we had eeas-
ed to speak of him, when one day young
man of genteel appearance called at my
store and, presenting his hand, asked if L
remembered him. In'the hurry and bus
tie of business life, one forms so many ac-
quaintances that it is not easy to recollect
every name or face at first sight. there
fore answered that | did not. He replied
that when boy he used to supply US with
Strawberries, and be then inquired kindly
for my wife and children.
He stated that, by diligence in his hor-
ticultural pursuits, he had saved some mon
ey and was then interested in small store
in neighboIing town. l was delighted
to see him, and to hear of his prosperity and
gave him a cordial invitation to my house
but he pleaded want of time, and departed.
On reaching home in the evening my wife
was much pleased to hear that her young
friend the Strawberry Boy was living and
well, but felt rather sighted at his not
calling to see her.
Two years ago, when saw him again,
he was paratively rich, worth some
fifty thousand dollars, had married the
daughter of late distinguished lawyer,
and had purchased and was then residing
in his fine mansion, in one of the cities op-
posite our own. Occupied in business of
public trust fnd responsibility, he lives
respected and esteemed by all his neigh
bors. He is well known to many of our
citizens of Cincinnati. With all this pros
perity, he has the good sence to remember
that he wss once the little Strawberry
Boy, and, TO doubt, feels prouder ofbeing
the architect of his own fortune, from that
foundation, than if he had inherited ten
times as much from his ancestor.-Horti
calturiSt.