The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-09-30
other fine berries from the baskets to her

, other fine berries from the baskets to he
: mouth, and took her departure.
I" wonder If she has to be introduced
e to the hens before she'll eat their eggs ~
Snaps said, with petulant sneer.
: "She yarns, anyhow" Wyatt sug
gested, cause how can she know VIII
, makes the sugar. and coffee, and tea ant
flour, and lots of things she eats? Sh,
, kept eatin' strawberries all the while, any
e how. She's mean and stuck.up, too"
Here comes Mrs. Pulsifer," sale
| Snaps. "She's deaf, you know; you'll
J have to split your throat to make hel
hear"
Chow dye do, little dearse" said Mrs
Pulsifer, smiling and giving a funny little
, curtsy.
Were WE'LL" Wyatt delivered this
, reply with such shout that man
across the street turned and stared about
; "Shc talks as if we were babies, Snaps
said, IN an undertone of contempt to
Wyatt, thinking, meanwhile, of the razor
and shaving.soa hid away in his cham
ber-closet.
"How do you sell your berries?" asked
Mrs. Pulsifer, still smiling, and hollow.
ing her hand to her ear to receive the
answer
twenty-five cents" Wyatt said, with
more moderation of tone.
"Thirty-two certss I'll give YOU thir-
ty,' said the smiling old lady.
6 l said twenty-tw cents" said Wyatt.
"Oh! twenty-five cents! I'll give you
twenty"
Mrs Pulsifer delighted above all things
on earth to make bargain-to get thing rs
for less than other people gave.
When the boys had agreed to her offer
she proposed to take two baskets for thir-
ty-tive cents, and, when they had again
acceded, she offered sixty cents for four
baskets. The partners accepted this offer,
and then she was afraid, as it was Satur-
day, that she couldn't use more than one
basket.
"Four baskets at sixty will make fifteen
for one" She opened her purse. "rve
just got fourteen cents in CHANGE she
said; "but you don't mind about one cent,
l know" and she smiled blandly as she
laid the money on the plank Then she
helped herself to the best basket she could
pick out.
Snaps felt mad enough to cry, and
might have cried if two boys and small
girl hadn't just then come on the
ground. They were soon Joined BY
two girls and small boy Things began
to look brisk-business prospects to
brighten. Indeed, the children generally
had got wind of the strawberry stand on
the Square, and they were beginning to
gather from all quarters, like yellow
jackets about a molasses-ju Big boys
were seen hurrying toward the attractive
spot, with their little brothers running and
crying in the vain endeavor of keeping up;
large girls came, impatiently tuggin their
little sisters. Soon there were assembled
over two dozen children about the straw
| berry stand.
"Now We'll begin to haul in the money"
Snaps thought.
The children gazed and talked, and
| walked around the plank, and counted the
baskets, and "hefted" them, and tasted
the berries to see if they were fresh, and to
see if they were ripe, and to see if they
were sweet, and to see if they were tart,
and to see if they would make good short
cake, and if they would make good pies,
and if they were good for jam, and if they
were good for strawberry-vinegar, and to
see if they were "as good as some we
bought" and for dozen other reasons.
Snaps and Wyatt inwardly chafed, but
they felt ashamed to complain of their
friends for taking a few berries.
After an impatient while the noon-bell
rang. There were some farewell peckings
at the baskets, and then the flock of black
birds flew away, and left the two specu-
lators to survey the ground. They walked
along the side Of their plank, each men,
tally taking stock. There was not a full
basket left. Not one had escaped depre-
dations- some were nearly empty.
"They're thieves and robbers said
Snaps, Indignantly. 81 wish I'd called
"Snaps," Wyatt said, "we're busted.
No use lodging; we're busted. There
amt more'n seven baskets left. What're
we going to do about ;t!''
Let's sell out,' Snaps flashed bright
ly.
"sell out to whos" Wyatt asked, in
tone of infinite contempt.
Lets eat 'em,' said Snaps.
"That would bust us sure" Wyatt re-
piled, attempting joke.
"It's most dinner-timc at our house."
Snaps said, in adlscouraged tone.
And it's most dinner. time at our
house," Wyatt added, impatiently; ''but
l amt goin' to whine about it,
He felt sore about his speculation, and
he was glad of a chance to scold at some
body.
1.-THE last of our moneys in them ber-
ries." Snaps looked mournfully at the
baskets. <4#
Wyatt answered shortly: "Well, can't
we earn some more?'' -,
IL don't think we got much good out
of our money" Snaps felt very melan-
choly.
Then both boys fell to thinking how the
money had gone.
1--WE amt got anything to show for it
but them two empty cologne-Lottles and
that old razor that we daren't let any,
body see," said Snaps.
"We've had lots of fun, though"
"And lots of other folks have had fun
out of it, too. And we've treated Seems
to me I'd rather treat than do anything
else. Don't it make you feel good to
treatS"
"Yes; I always feel like whistling
when treat" Wyatt said "But l do
wish knew what to do with these miser-
able old strawberries" He was getting
hungry and wanted his dinner
LETS treat with them, y Snaps brilliant
ly suggested. He, too, wanted his dinner;
he'd been laundering after it for an hour.
who'll we treaty"
ON tell you; We'll take 'em to Africa,
and give 'em to the little darkies."
Say we do" Wyatt assented.
Africa was that part Of the town where
the colored people were congregated.
The boys borrowed pail of Mr.. Moo
die, in which they emptied all the berries
The baskets were stacked and taken to the
grocery, according to the agreement with
the farmer. After eating their dinners
they proceeded together to Africa. Here
they went from shanty to shanty, dis
tributing the. berries, and almost laugh
ing themselves wild at the funny little ne.
groes. AS they suddenly turned corner
they collided with Bob Davidson.
Laws massyp' said Bob; " l wus jis
gwine to fotch it to you all. Here Ills"
and he extended before the boys eyes a
bottle with about gill Of some dark
liquid in it. e. 80
"a" What is it ~ said Wyatt 80.
What in the world is it?'' said Snaps.
. " Nanny didn't hab muffin else nice huff
l To oil 49,.