fish in market yesterday for three
fips.' 'Yes, but remember,' I replied, 'that here are the fish at
your door. You neither have to send for them nor to bring them home
yourself.' 'Oh, as to that,' she answered, 'I have a waiter whose
business it is to carry the marketing. It is all the same to me. So,
if you expect to sell me your things, you must do it at the market
prices. I will give you three fips for that bunch of fish, and no
more.' I had walked a great deal, and sold but little. I was tired,
and half sick with a dreadful headache. It was time for me to think
about getting home. So I said, 'Well, ma'am, I suppose you must take
them, but it leaves me only a mere trifle for my profit.' A servant
standing by took the fish, and the lady handed me a quarter, and
held out her hand for the change. I first put into it a five cent
piece. She continued holding it out, until I searched about in ny
pocket for a penny. This I next placed in her hand. 'So you've
cheated me out of a cent at last,' she said, half laughing and half
in earnest; 'you are a sad rogue.' A little boy was standing by.
'Here, Charley,' she said to him, 'is a penny I have just saved. You
can buy a candy with it.'

"As I turned away from the door of the large, beautiful house in
which that lady lived, I felt something rising in my throat and
choking me; I had bitter thoughts of all my kind.

"Happily, where I next stopped, I met with one more considerate. She
bought two bunches of my fish at my own price--spoke very kindly, to
me, and even went so far, seeing that I looked jaded out, to tell me
to go down into her kitchen and rest myself for a little while.

"Leaving my tub of fish in her yard, I accepted the kind offer. It
so happened that the cook was making tea for some one in the house
who was sick. The lady asked me if I would not like to have a cup. I
said yes; for my head was aching badly, and I felt faint; and
besides, I had not tasted a cup of tea for several days. She poured
it out with her own hands, and with her own hands brought it to me.
I think I never tasted such a cup of tea in my life. It was like
cordial. God bless her!--When I again went out upon the street my
headache was gone, and I felt as fresh as ever I did in my life.
Before I stopped at this kind lady's house, I was so worn down and
out of heart, that I determined to go home, even though not more
than half my fish were sold. But now I went on cheerful and with
confidence. I