The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-08-05
THE SATURDAY MARKET
A Place Where There Is Always Something
New to Be Found.
ELEGANT DISPLAY OF FINE VEGETABLES
Honston the Meccn for Truck Gar
deners-The Rain Has Somewhat
Intcrfercd with the Season.

The Saturday afternoon market pre-
scented Its usual scene OF thrifty house,
wives with baskets on their arms, OF cid
ladies in spectacles carefully examining
the choice vegetables attractiyely ar
ranged in the stalls inside the market or
else displayed on boxes and In the wagons
lining che curb. There were bdre-legged
lads, with tanned cheeks lodging In and
out OF the crowd, and one old darkey
trudged along, bending his back under the
load OF good things he was carrying for
"ole Miss" There were. negresses at
tired in colors that would have extin-
gulshed even the glory Of coliegian's
flaming cravats, or rainbow socks. Upon
the sidewalk two darkies, careless Of the
scorching heat. plunged their shining
teeth into the heart of E luscious water
melon which one had purchased at a bar
gain from a truck farmer for dina. a
small boy sitting by peanut rooster Kept
sputtering and gurgLng forth the news
that his wares were "r-r-r-red hot
r-r-r-red hot!'
But the matrons who had come 70 buy
the material for their sunday dinners
were too busily intent on their OWE ends
to pause over these details, or to give
even passing glance TO the refreshment
tables served by black-skinned negroes
with grinning gums or by swarthy Mex
teams In sugar loaf hats. Nor did the busy
housekeeper loiter before the tables where
were displayed Mexican sweetmeats aud
candies Of brilliant hues, both fear uily
and wonderfully made-daiuties TO draw
the lingering gaze Of children with wafer
ing mouths.
But instead the housewives turned their
eyes to the market wagons and hucksters'
stalls puzzling with puckered brows over
the problem Of getting the best Of every-
thing for Johns or Williams Sunday din
ner.
Abundance Of good things were there 10
choose from. For though the hucksters
complained that vegetables were scarce,
the neatly arranged. heavily burdened
shelves and stands gave little indication
Of any lack All was attractive fer the
food inspector keeps a careful eye upon
the dealers. and all is sound. There was
nne celery from Colorado, which the
housewife could buy a. 10 cents a stalk,
or II she was OF a saving turn Of mind
two stalks for Is cents. Fine Bartlett
pears from California and juicy peaches
from Texas were there at moderate prices
4 dime would buy any OF a great variety
Of things, dozen cucumbers a quart Of
ane beans from Harris county or Colorado,
q quart Of green peppers, the best cab
bages from Missouri, a quart Of butter
beans grown near Houston, or quart
measure Of pumpkin yams, which, though
scarce, wero good. Fine IRISH potatoes
from Harris county were there at 20 cent?
per peck. Green corn from the same dis.
trick Tor 10 cents a dozen, and so 4 went
There were fat chickens too. frying siz,
and grown, at prices ranging from % ans
so cents alive TO So and 40 cents dressed
The meat market had its usual abundan
supply. And fish were plentiful, n,
choicest from Corpus Christi and Rock
port.
Then, perhaps, as the good housekeep
ers left the market with their basket
loaded with coed things they spied tire
negro ministers. sleek and coolly clad 4
black alpaca, discussing a knoty poin
In theology or tho s1ns OF their people
under shady tree In the market square
or else the ladies might have seen a dis
tressed urchin looking with eager, dis
tressed eyes at his brond- brimned stra,
hat. floating Just out OF reach in one G
the fountains where mischievious boys ha
flung II