The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1882-03-18
Could it be possible that this shrewish
miser was her soft-voiced friend, Luz


miser was her soft-voiced friend. Luz
ellie Farrars?
Perhaps Uncle Peleg's views of hu-
man nature may not be so very much
amiss, after all, =" she said with half.
sigh, after she had made some half
dozen more pilgrimages, and more than
half of her berries remained unsold.
Miss ParBer's house was the last on
her list. Horatia had let it remain
until the other places were ali visited.
she herself could hardly have told why
| perhaps because Justus Parker hid
been her partner in the German the
night before. She liked Justus Parker
yet she somehow distrusted his gen.
| tie, nice, and smooth manner.
I am afraid it is all put on" she
said to herself. But Uncle Peleg
was determined should go there and
| will not shrink, now that the ordeal
is so nearly over"
The servant requested her to go up
AN see the young lady herself-she's
in her own room mostly"
Horatia had heard of Laura PaYker,s
| lingering spine disease, although she
never had seen her. And her heart
beat slightly as she assembled the softly
carpeted flight of stairs, carrying her
basket of berries.
Justus was sitting on low chair
beside his sisters sofa, at the further
end of the room he rose and came
forward as the stranger entered.
'This basket is too heavy for you to
carry" he said, taking it from her
arm and moving forward seat, with
a sort of unconscious chivalry.
1t is not SO heavy as it seems" said
she somewhat bitterly; land if it
were, I am nothing but a strawberry
woman"
But suppose strawberry woman
has feelings and sensations like other
people," said Justus Parker, smiling.
"Sit down a moment, while uy
sister looks at your fruit"
"You must be very warm" said
Laura Parker gently. clay back your
vail. Justus, please ring for a glass
of water"
Horatia accepted the water, but re-
fused to unfold her vail. 1t was alto
gether too good medium for her to
observe the quiet tenderness with
which Justus Parker treated his inva-
lid sister-the open Bible on the table,
the fresh flowers by the sofa, all mute
tokens of thoughtful love and care.
Miss Parker bought half dozen
baskets of berries, without word of
exception to the price.
"They are the finest 1 have seen
this year," she said. "You must come
again when you have more"
Horatia Mere's cheeks were burning
when she made her escape at last,
both basket and heart considerably
lightened.
''Well, uncle" she cried gleefully,
when she at length reached home, 81
have earned the 1T1omph de Gands "'
Have you been to all the places ?"
eyes, allw LOSES
And she told him her adventures
with playful humor.
''Not bad days work." said Uncle
Peleg, laughing.
Miss Horatia Mere had the hand
soonest refreshment table and the best
sales OF any young lady at the fair
and Justus Parker was her favorit
customer.
The result of the fair, not an un-
common one, if all reports are true,
was one wedding, if not more Horatia
Mere was married to Mr.. Parker, but
not till after the honeymoon did he
know the story of how his aristocratic
little bride had sold strawberries
"Was it wrong of me ?'' she asked
wistfully.
s'Under the circumstances, no." Mr..
1 ov-ty r@1