The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1858-07-15
From the New York Observer.
The Little strawberry Girl.
BY MISS E. W. BARNES.

"Straw-6er-ries! Strawberries! Who
will buy? Who will buy?"
The musical voice of Nellie trilled
the words so sweetly, that the memory
of the tones fingered with the passer-
by, as he went to his daily task and
haunted him through the long hours,
like the remembrance of a Joy that has
passed away. Her rosy face, too, was
worthy of place in memory; with its
sunny smiles and dimples, shaded by
careless natural curls; and its soft,
black eyes, large and full and dreamy.
1t was not beautiful only, but so indie
ative of goodness and purity, and all
that we meet to love and cherish as a
heart p7cStaree 7c,S4tHare Of childhood!
Many an eye turhenAto look after
Nellie, as she tripped along m tife' 8
bright June morning, in her neat pink
calico, and white apron, and large straw
hat shading her pretty face; while her
little baskets of fruit, covered with
dewy fresh green leaves, were strung
picturesquely over her arms and shoul-
ders; and her hands contained each
large basket, filled to overfowing with
the smaller ones. She was so neat and
attractive in her aspect, that many who
would have passed others by unheeded,
stopped to purchase the tempting fruit
of Nellie, who was well known, as she
came with the other beautiful things of
summer, and trilled her little song, like
bird, beneath the open windows:
Strawberries Strawberries Who
will buy? Who will buy 20
"Come in, child; what is your
price?"
"Tenpence basket, miss"
Nellie stepped into the spacious hall
of fashionable house in Montague ST.,
where young lady stood, in her morn
ing robe, with flowers in her hand Just
gathered from the conservatory, and
surrounded with all the appliances of
wealth and luxury.
"Well, they are worth all of that
so fresh and ripe. Give me half
dozen baskets. Here, Mary" And
while Mary emptied the baskets, she
drew out her "portmonnaie," and
dropped the sixty cents, in fves and
tens, into Nellie's little purse-not into
her hand, as the young reader must
remember; for this apparently trivial
act was the pivot on which turned the
moral event of the day and of our story.
The smile with which she received
the money, and thanked her for it, pen
etrated like a sunbeam into the heart
of Minnie Hamilton, for there was
coldness there-the child of discomfort
and disappointment, which finds their
way, sometimes, even into luxurious
homes, and the association of poverty
and contentment seemed very incon-
gruous to one born in aff1uence, as she
had been.
"You seem very happy" she said,
responding to Nellie's smile. EDO you
earn your living by selling strawber-
ries ?''
/" Yes, miss. In the summer I sell
berries; in winter, go to school part
of the day, and help mother the other
part"
"And what makes you so happy
Can you tell me the secret?"
Mother says we must be bright
and happy, because we have SO much
to be thankful for"
Minnie looked at her in amazement.
" So much to be thankful for !" thought
she, G and in their position! How does
your mother support herself, child ?"
"She takes in common sewing, miss.
she sews half the night"
eThen what in the world has she to
be so very thankful for?" she ex-
claimed; and a silent selfrcproach
came stealing up from her heart, that
she had so often murmured over some
evil in her own lot, which certainly
seemed a bright one in comparison.