The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-05-19

',Blnebsrriss-all ripe-tAsss quarts
for . squarteri"
The nrst time he shouted the sound
of bis own voice startled him; be
seemed to hear the words thrown back
in derisio9- DuS WilIy. Nelly's ten
year-old bfot6ef, WEo sat on the wagon
ssSt 70 Smihd he team" seconded his.
effort Nh such shrill. cheery chirp:
"Yeer ny are-blueberries-all ripel"
that I'm llelt ashamed Of his timidity.
tn GAd resolved to experiment in
uiat36t garter Of the city. For fully
Is nlnttts their cries were unan.
yt6fed. but at last neat old lady
called Tim to her doorstep. inspected
BIZ berries, and ordered three quarts.
/. That Aree-quart order was the maxi
ing OF man. Tim did not sweep the
berries OF level with the top Of his
measure. Far from Ill They rose In
a great mound from the middle Of the
box, and when he turned them into the
lady's brown earthenware dish they &C.
tually spilled over the sides.
He counted out the change In his left
hand with new feeling Of importance;
and the very horse started with excite.
ment when he tossed the measure back
into the wagon and sang out boldly,
with 1orid variations Of his tunes:
"Nice ripe blueberries yeer-three
quarts for a quarteri"
At dusk one great box of berries was
empty and another well followed in the
middle; Willy was hoarse, and Tim, who
did the walking, was tired. but his
pockets were heavy with silver. which
he jingled for Nelly's satisfaction
she happened to be at the gate again
and counted out on the table for his de-
lighted mother.
Next evening the return was larger.
Gradually customers began to watch
for him and he for them. His cry was
n warning signal which in quiet quar-.
ters could be heard a block away. II
distinguished itself sharply from other
peddlers' cries. Really it was like a
song, compared with theirs. Perhaps
that was why the nice old ladies called
him 50 often to their doorsteps. His
being a boy did not seem to deter them
In the least.
For week he did not venture to ped.
die in his own neighborhood. But one
evening. as he was driving home, o stray
customer tempted him. and his call was
heard by some schoolboy acquaintances.
whose curiosity was aroused.
"IIello, Tim! Where's DineenT'
This isn't Dineen's team"
"Whose Is it7''
| mime"
The others raised their elbows before
their faces, which, being interpreted.
meant: Get out"
ut is, tool" said Willy. on the wagon
seat.
"Where did you get NJ"
His mother bought IT." said Willy.
"Did she? Aw. you can't jolly us!"
II amt trying to-" E
Gee! You've got the cheeki"
A week before Tim woud have wilted
ut this contempt. Now. his views had
changed; he knew It wus a acompliment.
It was their way of saying he was en-
terprising.
| The period Of his awakening was VA
cation time, one year ago. This sum.
mer Tins stock included all kinds OF
fruits and vegetables in their season.
II you should see him, reaching over
the tailboard TO fiji a peck-measure with
tomatoes, you would handy recognize
the desolnts saunterer who used To
stop 30 often ut the store windows.
Watching him expand the "orbic fex'
OF his mouth TO emit the full fortissimo
Of his splendid lungs, you would not
believe that he could ever say. II s.saw
your. advertisement Tor b-boy." in
such half-nudible whisper that the
employer quite mechanically doubled
the volume Of his stentorian "What?~
His whole air Is fearless and prosper.
Gus. The very horse realizes change.
The mere way in which Tim shouts,
"Get up!" or snuggles down loose
end Of the blanket or pulls Dobbin's
ears under the strap Of the feed-bag,
Ut uOps up Uu tue scdtunu stuuus tuerc,
shaking the refns, his eyes alert In all
directions for customer, stamps him
as an independent proprietor.
To be sure, all he owns IS q peddler's
wagon; but It Is we'll painted. not lop-
sided like some, and as tidy on toNas
any fruiterer's stall. And though Tim
gives good measure, and knows that It
'pays," he has learned that such waste
full generosity as that with which he
heaped the measure for his first sasS
depresses his bank account.
The other day he met Mr.. Dodd, tho
lawyer, on the street, and the two had @
chat Of several minutes, at the end OF
which Tim politely but firmly dismissed
his old employer in order to serve a
customer.
OF course there's nothing he would
not do for Nelly Gray. Their good un-
derstanding continues. In fact, they
meet every morning and evening. But
Nelly has grown sineularly shy lately.
II anything happens between them. It
will have to be Tim who takes the In
itiative.-Youth's Companion.