The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1870-10-21

whose obstinate rings she was always
lamenting. This time our heroine
knew better than to go to the front
steps, and made her way meekly to the
area bell.
Mrs. Dystart herself presently came
to the door, and Horatia started to
SEQ the marvellous dissimilarity be.
tween Mrs. Dystart of society and
Mrs. Dystart at home. Her skin was
sallow, wrinkled and blotched, here
and there, from the too frequent use
Of powerful cosmetics, her hair was
screwed up into little papiiiotes Sc
cured by pins, making perfect che.
raur de Jrise of her head; her beauti.
ful figure was lathy and straight like
n pump draped in calico.
Strawberries! of course not Mt thi,
season Of the year" said Mrs. Dystart
snappishly. I'm not made Of mon.
eyH
And she slammed the door in Hora.
tia's face.
Miss Ferrars will buy them Mt ali
events" said Horatia to herself. -
Lucille Ferrars was always noble.
hearted and generous"
How much are they?" said the faii
Lucille, coming TO the head of the
basement stairs, in a disbabiite Of greasy
cashmere and soiled white apron.
Eighteen cents basket"
" Pshnw! said Lucille, supercili-
ously. ''As il l was going to pay such
price rs that! I'll give you ten!'
"They are unusually fne,' said Ho.
ratia, timidly.
~ shan't give cent over n clev-
cnr
Ho-atia turned away.
II wonder , on fruit girls havo the
face to ask such n pricel" said Miss
Lucy Ferrars lingering her purse
stripgs. Twelve, therc-and that
more than they're WORTH
~ cannot sell them under the price
1 have named" persisted Horatia,
shrinking from the glittering eyes.
go about your business then!
said Lucille. II II see the whole tribe
Of you starvc, before I'll be imposed
upon so.'
Horatia felt herself disenchanted.-
Could it be 7 ossible that this shrewisli
miser was her soft-voiced friend, Lu-
cille Ferrars?"
Perhaps Uncle Peleg's views oi
human nature may not be so very
much amiss. after all ;" she said. with q
half-sigh. after she had made some
half dozen or more pilgrimages, and
k.v katf nf 1,.-
manned unsold.
Miss Parker's house Was the last on
her list. Horstia had let it remain
until all the the other places had
been visited, she herself could hardly
have told why, perhaps because Justus
Parker had been her partner in the
"German" the night before. She
liked Justus Parker-yet she somehow
distrusted his gentle, nice smooth
manner.
81 am afraid it is oil put on" she
said to herself. "But Uncle Pelee
was determined should go there, and
1 will not shrink, now that the ordeal
is so nearly over"
The servant requested her to go up
and SEQ the young lady yourself
"she's in her own room mostly"
Horatia had heard Of Laura Par.
ker's lingering spine disease, although
she never had seen her. And her
heart beat slightly as she assended
tho softly-carpeted fight of stairs,
CARRYING her basket of berries.
Justus was sitting on low chair
beside his sisters sofa, Mt the further
end of the room; he rose and came
forward as the stranger entered.
"This basket is too heavy for you
to carry" he said, taking it from her
arm and moving forward scat, with
o sort of unconscious chivalry.
"It is not SO heavy rs it seems,
said she, somewhat bitterly, "and il
it were. I am nothing but straw
berry woman"
But I suppose strawberry wo-
man has feelings and sensations like
other people" said Justus Parker.
smiling. "Sit down O moment, while
my sister looks at your fiuit."
"You must be very warm," said
Laura Parker. gently. "Lay back
your veil. Justus, please ring for a
glass of water" Horatia accepted
the water, but refused to unfold her
veil. It was altogether too good q
medium for her to observe the quiet
tenderness with which Justus Parker
treated his invalid sister-the open
Bible on the table, the fresh flowers
by the sofa, all mute tokens of
thoughtful love and care.
Miss Parker bought half q dozen
baskets of berries, without word of
exception to the price.
"They are the finest have seen this
year!" she said. "You must come
again when you have more"
Horatia Mere's cheeks were burn
ing when she made her escape at last,
both basket and heart considerably
lightened.
"Well, uncle" she cried, gleefully,
when she at length reached home, 81
have earned the 1riomphe de Grander'
"Have you been to all the plscesy'
eyes, all!'
And she told him her adventures,
with playful humor.
''Not bad days work." said Uncle
Peleg. laughingly.
Miss Horatia Mere had the hand
soonest refreshment table and the best
sales Of any young lady at the Fair,
and Justus Parker was her favorite
customer.
The result of the fair-not an un-
common one, if all reports are true
was one wedding, if not more. Hora-