Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1878-08-29
HUCKSTER JIM.
BY REBECCA HARDING DAVIS.

HUCKsTER JIM.
BY REBECCA HARDING DAVIS.
Youths Companion.
''Peas Champion of England peas !!
Fresh pulled this morning!'
Carroll Hutter sauntered to the window
as the cry sounded in front of it.
s'Do come here, mamma! Did you ever
see anything so absurd? Positively,
Rollins has stopped the wretched crea-
turesl It is disgrace to the house."
The wretched creatures were a donkey,
and its driver, a thin, lame boy of twelve,
clad in well-patched rags. The donkey
drew sort Of basket-wagon, also patched
with willow withes, bits OF sapling, etc.
Inside were potatoes, peas, and few
baskets of late strawberries.
Mrs. Hunter stepped to the side door,
before which the wagon was drawn up,
and beckoned to her servant.
"Rol!ins, why do you bring that miser
able cart near the house? You should
either send it to the back door, or buy
from the provision stores.''
"Because, madam, cook says that this
boys vegetables are just out OF the ground
and those in the stores are stale. I could
have sent him to the back door, but the
lad is inclined to resent an order of any
sort"
Mrs. Hutter, like many fashionable
women, liked to fancy herself capable
She motioned to the boy.
GLOW can you bring fresher vegetab les
than Scott, who supplies all the best
families in this neighborhood?"
"Because raise them, ma'am.'
''Where is your farm?'
'Its only a patch--in Jersey, five
miles the other side of the river"
How do you sell your peas?" inter-
rupted her son Carroll.
'>Fifty cents the half-peck.''
'How does that compare with SCOTS
prices, Rollins?''
'"Just double, Sir"
'You are cheat, boy! I shall not
give you penny more than Ssott asks. y
The boy promptly emptied the peas
into the wagon again. They are worth
double. I shall not sell them for less, =
he said.
Rollins glanced at his mistress. 'They
are worth it. madam, He sells them to
Judge Shaffer's people at that price.
He's a sort Of prodigy Of Mrs. Shafer.' y
Now the Skaters reigned absolutely in
that world of fashion in which the Hut
tiers were admitted on sufferance.
"a protege of Mrs. Shafer's? All
Come here, boy" said Mrs. Hutter.
"You can take his vegetables, Rollins.
How did you find the means to 20 into
this business?'
81 had no means, ma'am. I was a
newsboy. Mother took in sewing. One
day I found we could rent house be-
yond Camden with an acre Of land for
what our room cos- US. So took moth
er out there. We raised vegetables and
herbs. I always bring them with the
dew on them. charge the highest price,
and only take them TO people who have
money to pay the highest price,"
":What do you do when the vegetable
season is over?''
II bring in nuts, and pressed leaves,
and ferns. to the same ladies. / sell to
them cheaper than they could buy IN the
stores, and they give me more than the
stores would pay to me-"
1.-THE boy has the real business faculty,
said Mrs. Hutter.
Her son Carroll, who was year older
than the pea merchant, caressed his up
per lip, where the mustache would be
sometime, and stared at him insolently.
"What ridiculous turnout! Did you
buy the cart and jackass with the pro-
ceeds of the patch, eh?"
Yes. Did you ever buy anything
with money you earned?" looking at HIM
steadily.
II? What do you take me for, you
impertinent puppy? Don't you know a
a gentleman when you see him, you beg
carly huxster?"
The other boy stopped, surveyed him
coolly from head to foot, and then said
quietly, Eyes, I think do. I don't
see him here"
Carroll grew white with rage, the more
as he fancied he saw q covert laugh on
Rollins face.
':Take that, you dogv" he said, dealing
the cripple blow across the face with a
cane which he carried.
The boy staggered back, recovered
himself, and sprang at him furiously.
Mrs. Hutter screamed. Rollins caught
Jim and held him helpless.
'Go for a policeman, Carroll!' cried his
mother. IT saw him attack you! He
meant murderl'
Rollins loosened his hold. "You'd
better cut and run, jim" he whispered,
Then be said aloud, "He's got clear of
me!' Perhaps it's as we'll, ma'am. Master
Carroll struck the first blow. The law
might have taken that into account" =
"The law discriminates between
gentlemen and rufians, I hope" said
Carroll, loftily.
Carroll was an insuffcrably conceited
boy, and he went to school that day with
a burning sense Of his own Importance
talked more loudly than usual OF ''gentle:
men" and "rowdies,' by whom he
simply meant boys who had money, and
those who had not.
Poor Jim Ludlow went home, on fire
with rage in every part of his attenuated
little body. He told his mother the
whole story Of his encounter.
30 Jimmy, when will you learn to
control your tongue? Why should you
have provoked the boy? How do you
expect to make others respect you when
you do not respect yourself2"
Nobody respects me. I never can
be a gentleman" sobbed the poor little
cripple.
His mother was too wise to reason with
him. She drew his head to her breast,
and pttted him awhile.
"Now come tosupper, Jimmy.
The supper was good, and neatly served:
When it was over, Mrs. Ludlow lighted
the lamp and placed some books on the
table. Jim with a bright face, sat down
to his lessons. Mrs. Ludlow was an edu-
Gated woman, and was teaching the boy
as thoroughly as he could have been
tau oht in the grammar schools. -
1t was late before they put the books
away. Jim drew a handful of silver out
Of his pocket. ~
Something to go into the bank,
mother" he said, laughing, "Our capital
grows"
eyes; but here's the capital" touching
the boeks, (which will make you the
equaIo any gentleman in the land, with
Gods help. Wen ask for that, Jimmy"
Al l.