West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-08-10
HUCkSTER JIM.
BY REpEccA HARDING DAVIS.
lYeuth,. Companion.

youths Companion.
Peas! Champion of England peas
Fresh pulled this morning.
Carroll Hutter sauntered 10 the win
dow as the cry sounded in front of IT,
Do come here, mammal Did YOU
ever see anything so absurd Positively,
Rollins has stopped the wretched crea-
lures 1t Is a disgrace to the house"
The wretched creatures were adonkey,
and its driver, thin, lame boy of
twelve, clad in well-patched rags. The
donkey drew sort of basket-wagon,
also patched with willow withes, bits of
sapliug, etc. Inside were potatoes, peas,
and few baskets of late strawberries.
Mrs. Huttsr stepped to the side door,
before which the wagon was drawn up,
and beckJned to her servant.
Rollins, why do you bring that
miserable 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.
| 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 10 fancy herself a capable
housekeeper. She motioned to the boy.
How can you bring fresher vege-
tables than Scott, who supplies all the
best families in this neighborhood ?'
Because | raise them, ma am"
Where is your farm~
It's only a patch-in Jersey, five
miles the other side of the river"
How do you sell your peasp' inter
rnptad har SON Carroll
Fifty cents the half-peck"
How does that compare with SCOTS
prices, Rollins?
Just double, sir"
You are cheat, boyl / shall not
give you penny more than Scott
asks"
The boy promptly emptiel the peas
into the wagon again. "They are worth
double. | shall not sell them for less, -
he said
Rollins glanced athis mistress "They
are worth it, madam. He sells them to
Judge Shafier's people at that price.
He's sort of 'protigy of Mrs.
Shafier"
Now the Skaters reigned absolutely
in that world of fashion in which the
Hutters were admitted ON suAerance.
A protege Of Mrs. Shaffer's? All
Come here, boy" said Mrs. Hutter
You can take his vegetables, Rollins
How did you find the means to 90 into
this businessY
81 had no means, ma'am / was a
newsboy. Mother took i'm sewing. One
day / found we could rent a house
beyond Camden with an acre of land
for what our room cost us. So / took
mother out there We raised vegetables
and herbs. / 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. 4"
What do you do when the vegetable
season is overP'
bring in nuts, and pressed leaves
and ferns to the same ladies' ] sell "a
them cheaper than they could buy in
the stores, and they give me more than
the stores would pay To- me-"
The boy has the real business
faculty." said Mrs. Hutter.
Her on Carroll, who was year older
than the pea-merchant, caressed hi.
upper lip, where the mustache would
be sometime, and stared at him inso.
lently.
What ridiculous turnout Did
you buy the cart and iackass with the
proceeds of the patch, eh?
Yes. Did you ever buy ANYTHING
with money you had earned g7 looking
at him steadily.
II What do you take me for, you
impertinent puppy? Don't you know
gentleman when you see him, you
beggarly hucksterW
The other boy stopped, surveyed him
coolly from head to foot, and then said
quietly, Yes, / think I do. don't
see him here"
Carroll grew white with rage. tho
more as he fancied he saw covert laugh
on ROllins's face
" Take that, you dog" he said, deal
ing the cripple a blow across the face
with cane which he carried.
The boy staggered back, recovered
himself, and sprang at him furiouslv
Mrs. Hutter screamed Rollins caught
Jim and held him helpless.
Go for policeman, CarrollW cried
his mother saw him attack Won
He meant murderW
Rollins lOOsened his hold. " You',
better cut and run, Jim" he whispered
Then he said aloud. " He's got clear %.
me Perhaps it's as we'll, ma am Maste,
Carroll struck the first blow. The Law
might have taken that into account
The law discriminates betweer
gentlemen and rufians ! hope" saic
Carroll, loftily.
Carroll was an insuGerably conceite,
boy, and he went to school that da,
with a burning sense Of his own impor
tance-talked more loudly than usual q