The Penn's Grove record., 1882-03-18
"And that"

: Just wait until you hear, said tn
old man dryly. "You can't have M
g fifty quarts OF Triomphe de Gan
strawberries, each one as big as
pigeons egg, until you have first sol
. a dozen quarts from door TO door"
Horatia opened her brown, wonder
ing eyes, like twin wells of haas
, light.
~, Uncle Peleg?n
"You, neice Heratial Am | to spec
ify the houses where you are to go?'
ut will be fun" cried Horatia, will
a gay laugh. "Td just as soon do
as not"
perhaps it will be fun, perhaps
WON'T" said Uncle Peleg. "At al
events, l want you to get one glimpse
at least, Of life through a strawberry
womsn's eyes"
"Am I to be disguised Uncle
Peleg?
ITO be sure you are. Miss Horstia
Mere would have no difficulty in dis
posing Of her wares a friepdless straw
berry girl is differentl"
"All the more delightful regular
ta6Ledu 0ivant g' cried Horatia mer.
lily. "Well, uncle, where am / to
go ?"
an write down a list OF names for
you, that shall be culled out of your
dearest friends-Mrs. Montague, Mrs,
Dysart, Miss Ferrars and the like"
"They will all buy" cried Horatio.
wen see," Uncle Peleg said. "Are
you really willing to buy the Tri.
omphe de Gdnds at such a price as
this, Horatia?"
"At any price" the girl answe
gleefully.
"You don't know how dissgreeahle
you may find It,"
at will be a perfect adventure -
said Horatia recklessly.
"But, mind, you're to keep it a
secret
GAS the grave" his mischievous
niece answered, with mock ~solemnity.
Miss Horatia Mere would scarcely
have been recognized by her nearest
friends, when she was dressed for the
curious part she WAS 10 play "for n
day only as she declared. A calico
dress thick boots, In which her tiny
feet felt unwontediy clumsy !; worn
wa. er-I roof cloak, borrowed from
Mary Ann the cook, and a worsted
hood enveloped In u faded black veil,
and a basket hanging yer her
these were The details of her costncle.
"Strawber rtes !" she cried, raising
her sweet voice to &c ab1ve." "Oh.
Uncle Peleg, it will be such 3 IAer"
And che tripped away, delighted at
the prospect of playing at the realities
of life. =
Uncle Peleg looked after her rather
doubtfully, as he resorted mechani-
cally to his unfailing panacea for all
human ills or ~perpIexities, the snuff.
box.
I'm almost sorry / emit her on such
an unpalat hle errand,' he said to
himself; "but it's just al well that she
should see the world as 1t really Ia.
Her life has been all couieur de rose,
and NO wonder. The strawberries will
be a dear bargain, after all
While these reflections were passing
through the eccentric old mans brain,
Horatia Mere had already rea he'd the
first house on her list, inhabited by
Mrs. Montague, a lady who had always
professed the sweetest and most saint
like character, whose voice was soft
and 10 ", and who spoke In six-sylla-
bled words of Websterisn elegance.
Mrs. Montague herself was n the
hall as Horstia rang the door bell.
''If we phase, ma'am" said Bridget,
"lt's a girrel sellin' strswberries-will
we buy a quartz"
Strawberries, indeed! and at the up
per dooru shrilly cried Mrs. Monta-
que, in a voice that for an Instant
almost compelled Horatia to doubt the
lady's identity. Don't you know
better, girl, than to bring your trum-
perry wares to the front door? What
do you s'pose basement bells were
made forP Clear out this minute
What are you standing staring there
for? Don't you hear what I say ?"
And she took hold of Horatia's arm,
and assisted her progress with q Wig
push.
Mrs. Dysart's came next-an elegant
widow, with an ivory pure complex
ion curls like the tendrils of a grape.
vine, whose obstinate riggs she was
always lamenting. This time our
heroine knew better than to go to the
front st ps, and made her way meekly
| to the area bell.
"Strawber les, is it?' said the little
| girl who came to the door. an ask
the missis."
Mrs. Dysart herself presently came
to the door, and Horatia started to ee
the marvellous dissimilarity betwe n
the Mrs. Dysart of society and Mrs
Dysart al home, Her skin was sallow.
wrinkled and blotched, here and there,
from the too frequent use of powerful
cosmetics her hair was screwed up
into a little papiHotes, secured by pins,
making a perfect chevaur de Jrise OF
her head her beautiful figure was
lathy and straight, like apump draped
ia calico!
Strawberries ! Of curse not, at this
season OF the year." said Mrs. Dysarl
susppishly. I'm not made o.
money!
And she slammed the door in
Horatia's face.
Miss Ferrars viii buy them, at al
events said HoratIa TO herself. Lu
ellie Ferrars was always noble hearteC