Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-09-30

strawberries so bad in my life. Let's
give him basket"
Bob's great eyes, rolling from one face
to the other, plainly discerned that the
boys were pleased with his compliment.
amt got no money dis berry mint,
but eff you all GIN me some strawberries
III GIN You all sumpum-will So"
"What'll you give us " Wyatt asked.
Bob thrust one hand in his one pocket
and assumed the meditative attitude of a
philosopher.
What'll you give ~ urged Wyatt, after
a pause long enough for Bob TO make an
inventory of very extensive personal
property.
"Sumpum mighty good, !" said the non
committal Bob.
but whatsa persisted Wyatt You
must tell Us or we can't trade"
/ Bob took another meditatiye attitude
/ and rolled his eyes in a frantic way, as if
he was trying TO see something very diff
| cult to find
"What'll you give US 81 This question
again urgently assailed him.
/ I" tell yer,n said Bob, with the air of
one who has reached the solution of a
difficult problem. I" I'll take de berries
1 long to de HOUSE, Ito his home he meantl !;
eden I'll fotch de what-you-may-ca ll-it
straight back-wish may die if don't!n
| The boys had soft places in their hearts
for Bob; they were aching to give him q
basket, so they agreed TO his proposal and
he bore away the berries.
| The next customer was Miss Burchett.
| She was a tall, thin woman, with steel-col-
ored eyes and iron gray hair. She wore a
Shaker bonnet with a brown silk skirt TO
! it, and her calico dress was very stiffiy
starched
81 heard you had strawberries; are
they perfectly fresh and perfectly ripper"
/ She asked this much as a lawyer would
cross-examine witness. Both boys were
scared and subdued by her manner
Yes, ma'am," Wyatt meekly answered
| 10 her question.
How do you know they ares" she
asked in the same lawyer-like tone.
1.-THE man said they were"
| All this time Miss Burchett was turning
one basket and another against plate
she carried, inspecting the berries through
her gold bowed glasses, smelling at each
| lot and doing what seemed TO the boys a
most unnecessary amount of tasting.
"What man g' she asked.
"The man we bought them FROM"
! Wyatt answered.
land who is her What's his namern
81 don't know, ma'am."
| Then | don't want your berries, !" Miss
| Burchett said with emphasis. Z" never
| buy any berries unless | know who
picked them; nor any butter, or milk, or
] sausages, or anything, unless / know who
| made it. I'm very particular about my
eating. do wish didn't have TO eat any
victuals that other folks had been per-
| forming over "
With this speech she transferred few
other fine berries from the baskets to her
mouth, and took her departure.
wonder if she has to be introduced
| 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 who
makes the sugar and coffee, and tea and
| -four, and lots of things she eats? She
kept eatin' Strawberries all the while, any
| how She's mean and stuck-up, too"
Here comes Mrs. Pulsifer," said
Snaps. "She's deaf, you know; you'll
have to split your throat to make her
| hear
"How dye do, little dearsr" said Mrs
Pulsifer, smiling and giving funny little
curtsy.
Were well'' Wyatt delivered this
reply with such a shout that man
| across the street turned and stared about.
"She talks as if we were babies, Snaps
said, III an undertone of contempt to
1 Wyatt, thinking, meanwhile, of the razor
and shaving-soap hid away in his cham
| ber-closet. a ".M
"How do you sell your berriesS" asked
Mrs. Pulsifer, still smiling, and hollow
ing her hand TO her ear to receive the
answer f#y8 u
Twenty-Five cents Wyatt said, with
more moderation Of tone. s
"T'hirty-two cents? I'll give you thir-
ty,o said the smiling old lady.
I" said twenty two 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 things
for less than other people gave.
When the boys had agreed 10 her offer
she proposed TO take two baskets for thir-
| ty-five 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 ii 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. 1--WE
| 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 10
gather from all quarters, like yellow
jackets about molasses-jug. Big boys
were seen hurrying toward the attractive
spot, with their little brothers running and
crying in the va&n endeavor of keeping up |;
large girls came, impatiently Juggling their
| little sisters. Soon there were assembled
over two dozen children about the straw
| berry stand.
Now well begin TO haul in the money"
Snaps thought.
The children gazed and talked, and
walked around the plank, and counted the
| baskets, and "befted" them, and tasted
| the berries TO see If they were fresh, and to