River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-04-05

or the table, ana VIII purchase the
most expensive fruits or vegetables,
in or out of season. The stores are
miscellaneous, and the merchants,
themselves Indians, smart, active and
enterprising.
My early potatoes were sold to one
of these, who, formerly cayuga, of
North Carolina, had been passed into
the Confederate service ,drifted North,
ward, and at last settled in the Indian
village, to which he was attracted by
the bright eyes of bewitching squaw.
Finding that we had many things for
sale that his customers required, he
began to make regular calls through
the season, when in search of eggs and
butter from the neighboring farmers
and the rattle Of hia long, one-horse
wagon was signal for all hands to
thin the onions, make up punches of
turnips and beets, gather snap-beans,
or, if later in the season, the earliest
corn or apples; and in after years a
| part of our summer fruit.
''Well sar-well ma'am," he would
generally begin, 'give me fifty cents
worth of onions;" and tying his horse
to the post near the garden fence, he
proceeded to reconnoiter, in order to
pick up odds and ends, as his needs
might be. Then Felicite would drop
her hoe and gently discriminate among
the onion rows, pulling for his benefit
any that seemed likely to prove thick
necks, and while the children punched
and tied, the intending purchaser paid
no attention, trusting to their honesty
for the worth of his money. From
such small truck, found that during
the first season l had realized the sum
of $25, while the garden was really
the better far the thinning.
The city market, which now re-
celves all our product direct to deal
ers, only tried once during that event
full summer, and found the experiment
one | did not care to repeat, although
in some respects beneficial. 1t hap
pened that the earliest peas were ready
at the same time that an old, neglected
strawberry showed wonderful
wealth of berries shining through the
| weeds and leaves. This had been left
to supply the household with fruit for
the season until some new plants
should come into bearing; but when
| we began to pick, dishes and baskets
were called into requisition, and by
night we had about ten gallons of mix
| ed sizes that might be pared for mar
ket. Early next morning took John
ME, and with my peas and strawber-
ries started for the city. Not few
of my neighbors, hearing of my in
tention, took the trouble to stop me
by the way and state that they did not
believe | would stand on the market
to sell. When the boat reached the
wharf we droveo.ur buggy,in all haste,
to the intended destination, and, back
ing up the old gray mare, began to dis
play our goods.
VI OAAO Nebi
roses and few perennials, with some
wild flowers and ferns, making about
twenty boquets, which | arranged
around my large, fiat basket of straw
berries, on the seat of the buggy.
Presently, along came huckster, and
seeing such green hands, began to
chaff and banter for the peas, which /
found were scarce in the market, To
her, at last, l sold my two bags of
green peas in the pod for six dollars,
being at the rate of two dollars per
bushel. For the flowers she gave ME
dollar and a half ,praising the taste in
arrangement but when / offered her
my strawberries her hands went up in
horror. "Arrah, what wud | do wi
the loikes O. thin! There's no SEEM
the big ones for the sight o the small
rubbish, dear" then comprehended
the necessity of sorting, and the
beauty and utility of quart boxes.
After she had left me bright thought
entered my mind, and l dispatched
Johnnie to tinsmith's opposite for a
quart measure.
During his absence my thoughts
were diverted by the appearance on
the footpath of an old friend, at whose
house, in my younger days, | had often
dined who had flattered and intro
duccd me to her circle as a literary as
pirant of some talent /; and whose two
stylish daughters were then my com
peers. AS she daintily picked her step
through the busy throng, the lady S
eyes fell upon my lonely self, sitting
| in waiting attitude beside my bask-
cts. Never dreaming of the truth of
my situation, she advanced to shake
hands, with pleasure and surprise ex-
pressed in her face. GLOW are you
Why don't you come to see us Z"
answered pleasantly and politely her
questions, and added: Il am trying
to sell little fruit and some vege-
tables this morning"
What had | said : What had done
A thrill of almost alright passed over
her whole frame dismay was written
plainly ON every feature, and. with a
cold bow, she picked her way gingerly
along and being obliged to return by
the same road, she turned her back
resolutely, and was evidently interest
ed in the display of turnips and cab
bages in the huckster's stall opposite.
Reader, with such a one | had lost
caste.
III my bright tin measure | piled
high the berries, found out that the
quart boxes were sold AT seventeen
cents, and by placing mine at four
teen, my basket soon became lighter.
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