The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-08-28
HUCKSTER JIM

HUCKsTER JIM.
BY REBECCA HARDING DAVIS,
| Youths Companion. a@ ',-
''Peas! Champion of England peas
Fresh pulled this morningr' 49, '
Carroll Hutter sauntered to the window
as the cry sounded in front Of it.
,"Do come here, mamma! Did you ever
see anything SO absurd?1 Positively,
Rollins has stopped the wretched crea-
lures! It is disgrace to the house."
The wretched creatures were donkey,
and it's driver, thin, lame boy of twelve,
| clad in well-patched rags. The donkey
drew a sort OF basket-wagon, also patched
with willow withes, bits OF sapling, etc.
Inside were potatoes, peas, and a few
| baskets of late Strawberries. .-a- j..
Mrs. Hunter stepped to the side door,
before which the wagon was drawn up,
| and beckoned to her servant.
H. Rollins, why do you bring that miser
able cart near the house, You should
| either send it to the back door, or buv
| from the provision stores'
J Because, madam, cook says that this
boy s 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" 81. .-
Mrs. Hutter, like many fashionable
women, liked to fancy herself capable
housekeeper. She motioned to the boy.
Chow can you bring fresher vegetables
than Scott, who supplies all the best
families in this neighborhood?"
because I raise them, ma'am''
'Where is your farm?"
cts only a patch-in Jersey, five
miles the other side of the river" 49,.
SLOW do you sell your peas2" inter
rupted her son Carroll.
| Fifty cents the half-pecl.''
| Chow does that compare with SCOTS
| prices, Rollins2" '..'.. -.
| 'Just double, SIR" .' IL p "..
."You are cheat, boy! / shall not
give you penny more than Seott asks
The boy promptly emptied the peas
into the wagon again. "They are worth
double. shall not sell them for less,:'
he said. -. D.. '...+'r d -
| Rollins glanced at his mistress. ''They
are worth it. madam, He sells them to
! Judge Skaters people at that price.
He's sort Of 'protigy' of Mrs. Shafter.'
| Now the Skaters reigned absolutely in
that world of fashion in which the Hut
tiers were admitted on sufferance
~ "a ,protege of Mrs. Skaters? All!
Come here, boy" said Mrs. Hutter
"You can take his vegetables, Rollins.
How did you find the means to go into
this business?' 49,. ., T.
Il had no means, ma'am. l was Il
newsboy. Mother took in sewing. One
day I found we could rent house be-
You'd Camden with an acre of land for
what our room cost us. So I took moth
er out there. We raised vegetables and
herbs. I always bring them with the
dew on them. I charge the highest price,
and only take them to people who have
money to pay the highest p-lce.''
"What do you do when the vegetable
season is over?" ,..... .,.-..s... III
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-" n" ~
''The boy has the real business faculty.
said Mrs. Hutter. ~
Her son Carroll, who was year older
than the pea7merchant, 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, eh2'' j
Eyes. Did you ever buy anything
with money you earned9" looking at HIM
steadily. ~
"I2 What do you take me for, YOU
J impertinent puppy2 Don't you know a
q gentleman when you see him, you beg
carly huxster2" ", 4 q
| The other boy stopped, surveyed him
! coolly from head to, foot, and then said
| quietly, Eyes, think l do. / don't
see HIM here"
! Carroll grew white with rage, the more
as he fancied he saw a covert laugh on
Rollins face. ss
! take that, you dog!''' he said, dealing
i the cripple a blow across the face with a
cane which he carried, ,.s 4,
The boy staggered back, recovered
himself, and sprangl at him furiously.
Mrs. Hutter screamed, Rollins caught
4 Jim and held him helpless.
3 Go for policeman, CARROLL" cried his
mother. II saw hima attack you! He
d meant murderln 81
n Rollins loosened his hold. y. You'd
4 better cut ard run, Jim, he whispered.
i Then he said aloud s. !. He's got clear Of
4 mel Perhaps it's as we'll, ma'an. Master
i Carroll struck the first blew. The law
might have taken that into account as
ssThe law discriminates between