158 THE STRAWBERRY GARDEN. 



Only forty dollars ! A long way from the necessary hun- 

 dred." This, meditatively, after her usual fashion. 



"I really do not understand it," said Mrs. Wellson. 

 1 : There is Farmer Gooding, selling strawberries by the 

 hundred boxes a day, and yet he says he never gets more 

 than eighteen cents, on an average." 



" I can understand that. Our fruit was more carefully 

 picked, was fresh, and not injured by having the hulls torn 

 off. It had not travelled all night in a wagon, nor lain in a 

 warm store half a day. Nor was it packed in tight wooden 

 boxes, to ruin the flavor." 



" And Johnny got fancy prices at first, as there were 

 no native berries in the market," said Kate. 



"Yes," added he, u the market men said they were 

 prime berries. So they were. We took pains with them, 

 I'm sure. Didn't we, Kate ? " 



" Guess we did, my boy." 



More discussion was had over the matter, and also con- 

 cerning the further troubles that had fallen upon the family. 

 A sorrowful, dull, prosy matter, that we will skip entirely. 



The final result may be of interest. 



" We may as well put our pride in our pockets, and do 

 the best we can. Your mother and I have canvassed this 

 matter, and find that we cannot better ourselves by moving ; 

 therefore we will remain where we are but we must 

 reduce our expenses." 



" How? " said Mary, brightening up. 



