The Penn's Grove record., 1882-03-18
PENIS GROVE, SALEM COUNTY, N j.. SATURDAY, MARCH 49, 1882
81 sban't give q cent oyer eleven ].
Horatia turned away.

II shan't give q cent over eleven !
Horatia turned away.
az wonder you fruit girls hav, tn
face to ask such a pricel' said Mis-
Lucille Ferrars, lingering her purse
strings. 'Tw I've, there-and that
more thah they're worthl'
Il cannot sell them under the prict
[ have named" persisted Horatia
shrinking from the sharp, glittering
eyes.
go about your business then ~ said
Lucille. "Ill see the whole tribe OF
you starve before I'll be imposed
upon so ~
Horatia felt herself disenchanted
Could it be possible that this shrewisb
miser was her ~soft-voiced friend, Lu-
ellie Farrars?
Perhaps Uncle Peleg's views of hu-
man nature may not be so very much
amiss, after ALL" she said with a half
sigh, after she hsdn,ade some half.
dozen more pilgrimages, and moret than
half of her berries remained unsold.
Miss Psrker's house was the last on
her list. Horatia had let it remain
until the other places were all visited,
she herself could hardly have told why
perhaps bee u s Justus Parker h d
been her partner in the German the
night oetore. She liked Justus Parker
yet she somehow distrusted mis- gen.
tie, nice, and smooth manner.
~ am afraid it is all put on" she
said to herself. "But Uncle Peleg
was determined I should go there, and
| vii MT shrink, now that the ordeal
is so nearly over"
The servant requested her to go up
IAN see the young lady herself-she's
in her W room mostly
Horatia had heard of Laura Parker'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 a 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 1t from her
srm and moving forward a seat, with
a sort of unconscious chivalTy.
II is not SO heavy as 1t seems" said
she somewhat bitterly 'aad IL it
were, l am nothing but a strawberry
woman"
but l suppose a strawberry woman
has feelings and sensations like other
said Justus Parker smiling.
'Sit down a moment, while my
sister looks at your fruit
you must be very warm" said
Laura Parker gently. LAY 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
too good a medium for her to
observe the quiet tenderness with
Justus Parker treated his inva-
lid sister-the open Bible on the table,
the fre.h flowers by the sofa, all mute
tokens of thoughtful love and care
Miss Parker bought half u dozen
baskets of berries, without a word of
exception to the price.
They are the finest l have seer
his 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
l~ightened.
"Well, uncle ~ she cried gleefully,
when she at length reached home, 81
earned the Triomph de Gands r'
III We you been to all the places ?"
Eyes, all!p
And she told him her adventures
with playful bumor.
mot q bad days work" said Uncle
PeieR, laughing.
Miss Horatls Mere had the hand
refreshment table and the best
sales o any young lady at the fair,
and Justus Parker was her fsvorite
customer.
The result Of the fair, not an un-
one, II all reports are. true,
was one wedding, If not more. HoIatia
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 'rawberries
"Was 1t wrong of me ~ she asked
wistfully.
Under the circumstances, no." Mr..
Parker answered gravely.