The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-09-07
Huci<ster Jim.
By REBEccA HARDING DAVIS.

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 {! Posi-
lively, Rollins has stopped the
wretched'creaturesl 1t is disgrace
to the house,
The wretched creatures were
donkey and its driver, "a thin, lame
boy of twelve, clad in well patch
ed rags. The donkey drew sort
of basket wagon, also patched with
willow withes,' bits of sapling, etc.
Inside were potatoes, peas, and a
few baskets of late strawberries.
Mrs. Hutter stepped to the side
door, before which the wagon was
drawn up and beckoned to the SER
want, and said:
Rollins, why do you bring that
miserable cart so near the house?
You should either send it to the
back door, or buy from the pro-
vision stores"
Because, madam, cook says this
boys vegetables are inst out of the
ground, and those in the stores
are stale. / could have sent him
TO the back door, but the lad is in
clined to resent an order of any
sort.
Mrs. HITTER, like many fashion
able women, liked to fancy herself
u capable housekeeper. She mo-
toned to the boy.
"How can you bring fresher veg
etables than Scott, who supplies
all the best families in this entire
neighborhood?"
Because l raise them, ma am"
where is your farm ?"
"!t's only patch = in Jersey,
FIVE miles the other site of the
river"
''How do you sell your peas?"
Interrupted her son Carroll.
Fifty cents the half-peck.
"How does that compare with
SCOTS prices, Rollins 2"
"Just double, SIR"
"You are a cheat, boy /! / shall
not give you a cent more than
Scott asks"
The boy promptly emptied the
peas into the wagon again. 'They
are worth double. l shall not sell
them for less. !"
Rollins glanced at his mistress.
"They are worth it, madam. He
sells them to Judge Schaffer's peo-
pie at that price. He is sortsof
.protigy' of Mrs. Schaffer" le lsa
Now, the. Schaffers reigned alb
solutely in that world of fashion in
which the Hutters were admitted
on sufferance.
A protege of Mrs. Schaffer's? All!
Come here boy" said Mrs. Hutter.
"You can take his vegetables, Rol-
Inns. How did you find the means
to go into this business ?"
l had no means, madam. / was
newsboy. Mother took iu sew
ing. One day l found We could
rent house beyond Camden, with
an acre of land, for what our room
cost us. So l took mother out
there. We raised vegetables and
herbs. l 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 vege-
table season is over q
81 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 will
pay to me-"
"Tbe boy has real business fac
nlty," said Mrs. Hutter.
Her son Carroll, who was a year
Older than the pea-merchant, ca
ressed his upper lip. where a NOUS
tache would be some time, and
stared at him insolently.
"What a ridiculous turnout
Did you buy the cart and jackass
with the proceeds of the patch?"
Yes. Did you ever buy any,
thing with money yon had earned
by work."
Me? What do you take me for,
you impertinent puppy? Don't you
know a gentleman when you see
him, you beggarly huckster ?"
The other boy stopped, surveyed
him coolly from head to foot, and
then said quietly, ."Yes, / think l
do. / don't see him here"
Carroll grew white with rage.