The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-11-04
..RAVENNA, o., WEDN ES


5 Mrs. Leclere shaded her eyes with her hand,
and looked again.
Why, Kitty Brace! can it be possible that
that is goua' l 7a taafa
- myself and no other" laughed Kitty
"I'm selling strawberries on wager-will
you buy some ?'' -. s...-
80 Buy some? of course! Give. me doz-
en- baskets; and then come in, you little
witch, and tell me about it."
q "Not just now--haven't time" answered
Kitty, demurely, g But you shall hear of it
by-and-ay !'' @ 227a
5. Mrs. Leclere thought Kitty had never
looked so pretty, in tulle and pearls, as she
did under the quaint shadow of that Shaker
bonnet-her eyes dancing with suppressed
mischief, and the brown curls tucked behind
her ears and the old maid behind the win,
dow blinds of the opposite house thought it
every queer to see Mrs. Leclere lean from
her easement to kiss the strawberry girl!
"Strawberries !? how much be they a bas-
ket p
MIS- tHS SO<ipSuSio
sodden fingers, and polished them off on her
check apron, she opened the basement
door. ~
Five cents that's too much I won't
give but four. James Adolphus if you
don't keep your hands out o that strawberry
basket, I'll skin you I'd calculated to get a
few for preservin', but sugars so awful high.
Julius Alexander, come in out of the street
this minute, or I'll come after ye! I'd put
up two jars o. pineapples. but James Adolf
phus got at one, and t'other blowed up with
bang on Easter Sunday. Can't We give me
four baskets for a shillin'? Them baskets is
the biggest cheats-don't hold half they pre-
tend to. Take postage stamps? Well, pour
'em out. My gracious if there amt straw
berry leaf in one of the baskets! Look here,
young woman, don't youever show Your face
here again sellin' Strawberries A leaf--just
to fill UP, FL warrant Where do you ex-
pect to go to when you die, Pd just like to
know ~
The door was slammed in Kitty's face with
more emphasis than politeness. Strawberry
vending had its unpleasant aspects as well as
most other occupations in this world !; but our
t little heroine was undismayed 1t takes a
good deal to daunt a courageous woman.
| Late in the afternoon, Mr.. Parker Pelham's
clerk came softly into the back office. where
his master was busily engaged in writing.
al beg your pardon, sir, but do you wish tc
buy any strawberries Pr
b5,'' Strawberries !,' said Mr. Pelham
abstraetedly a4as
!" I. told the young person so, sir, but
Dear me, here shei is, now! b
There was a defiant little tap on the door
and Miss Kitty Brace walked in, her haze
eyes sparkling like two stars underthe Shake
bonnet.
''Y Y You don't wish to purchase, Mr., Pelham
That's fortunate, for Pve sold every berry /
Please to count my change believe
amounts to nine cents over and above th
specified five dollars !''
Parker Pelham stared at the double hand
full of postage currencies in blank astonish
ment and dismay.
: zs"You don't mean to say, Miss Kitty
that-'' ri
Il do mean to say that have won the wa
ger, sir l''
How pretty she looked in that moment {
bright animation Ordinarily Parker Pelhar
would have hesitated long ere parting with
: red cent of his boarded money, but beauty
: a wonderful subduer All the treasured hope
of months leaped up in that one moment {
J, fascination. >sssiasa.5e.ssx
81 own myself vanquished, Miss Kitty,
he said, handing over neatly folded 6ft
: dollar BILL aTake it-and-''
He paused moment in awkward unce
tainty.
=" Kitty--will you take my heart with it
q Thank you sir" said Kitty, demurel
d "but should scarcely know what to do wi
% the article. My promised husband is fightil
o under the Stars and Stripes, and one heart
all /. can take care of at one time. Good ey
le ming, sirH'
60 Alas, for the humiliated and discomft
Parker Pelham was it not hard enough
% lose fifty dollars, but he must lose a swee
-. ~ heart, too? But all the Rothschilds nev
felt SO rich as Kitty Brace when she enclos
IN that fifty dollar bill to1purchase comforts
- the soldiers