Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-09-09
lrlL tae New AJ-z Observer,
THE LITTLE STRAWBERRY GIRL.

Strawberries : Strawberries! Who will
buy! Who will buy
The musical voice Of Nellie trilied the words
so sweetly, that the memory Of the tones hngcr-
ed with the passer-by, as he went 10 his daily
task, and haunted him through the long hours
Ike the remembrance OF a " that has passed
away. Her rosy face, too, was worthy Of
place IN memory with its sunny smies and
dimples, shaded by careless natural curls ; and
its soft, black eyes, large, and full and dreamy.
1t was not beautiful only, but so indicative Of
goodness ard purity, and all that We most love
to cherish as a heart picture of childhood
Many an eye turned to LOOK after Nellie, as
she triPped along in the 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 dewey fresh
green leaves, were strung picturesquely over her
arms and shoulders, and her hands contained
each large basket, filled to overfowing with
the smaller ones. She was so neat md attract
i've in her aspect, that many who would have
passed others by unhee-ed, stopped to pur-
chase the tempting fruit Of Nellie, who was
well-known, as she came with the other beau
tiful things of summer, and trilled her little
song, like a bird beneath the open windows -
Straw-ber-r1es! Straw 5er-ries. Who will
buy Who viii buy ,
Come in child; what is you price =
'Tenpence basket, Miss
Nellie stepped into the spacious hall of d
fashionable house in Montague street, where a
Young lady stood, in her morning robe, with
flowers in her hand just gathered from the con-
| servatory, and surrounded with all the appli-
ances of wealth and luxury.
well, they are worth all Of that, so fresh and
ripe. Give me half q dozen baskets. Here,
Mary And while Mary emptied the baskets,
she drew out her 'portmOnaie,' and dropped the
sixty cents in fves and tens, into NelIie's little
purse-not into her hand, as the 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, penetrated like sun
beam into the heart Of Minnie Hamilton, for
there was codness there-the child of diseon-
| tent and isappointnent,which finds their way,
sometimes, even into luxurious homes and
the association Of poverty and eOntentment
seemed very incongruOus to one born in afflu-
ence, as she had been
You seem very happy she said, responding
to AeliIe's smile. Do you earn your living by
selling Strawberries =
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 makesyOu so haPPyl Canyon tell
me the secretl'
Mother says that 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, and in their
position bow does your mother support her
self, childl'
'She takes in common sewing, Miss. Some
times she sews half the night
Then what in the world has she TO be so very
thankful fort she exclaimed; and silent self
reprUach came stealing up from her heart, that
she had so often murmured over some evil in her
own lot, which certainly seemed bright one in
comparison.
Nellie smiled again sweetly, as she answered;
Some, people, as good as We are, have no home,
and have nothing to eat. But mother and /
have little room to live in. She sings al her
work all day long, because, she says, God Is good
to US. We have bread and potatoes every day,
and on Sunday we have meat. Don't you think,
Miss, that is something to be thankful for!' she
asked simply.