“It’s enough,” said the lady, as she turned to call a servant. Five boxes of fine large strawberries were received, and forty cents paid for them. The lady re-entered the parlor, pleased at her good bargain, while the poor woman turned from the door sad and disheartened. She walked nearly the distance of a square before she could trust her voice to utter her monotonous cry of “Strawb’_rees_! Strawb’_rees_!” An hour afterward, a friend called upon Mrs. Mier, the lady who had bought the strawberries. After talking about various matters and things interesting to lady house-keepers, Mrs. Mier said— “How much did you pay for strawberries this morning?” “Ten cents.” “You paid too much. I bought them for eight.” “For eight! Were they good ones?” “Step into the dining-room and I will show them to you.” The ladies stepped into the dining-room, when Mrs. Mier displayed her large, red berries, which were really much finer than she had at first supposed them to be. “You didn’t get them for eight cents,” remarked the visiter incredulously. “Yes I did. I paid forty cents for five quarts.” “While I paid fifty for some not near so good.” “I suppose you paid just what you were asked?” “Yes, I always do that. I buy from one woman during the season, who agrees to furnish me at the regular market price.” “Which you will always find to be two or three cents above what you can get them for in the market.” “You always buy in market.” “I bought these from a woman at the door.” “Did she only ask eight cents for them?” “Oh no! She asked ten cents, and pretended that she got twelve and a half for the same quality of berries yesterday. But I never give these people what they ask.” “While I never can find it in my heart to ask a poor, tired-looking woman at my door, to take a cent less for her fruit than she asks me. A cent or two, while it is of little account to me, must be of great importance to her.” “You are a very poor economist, I see,” said Mrs. Mier. “If that is the way you deal with every one, your husband no doubt finds his expense account a very serious item.” “I don’t know about that. He never complains. He allows me a certain sum every week to keep the house, and find my own and the children’s clothes; and so far from ever calling on him for more, I always have fifty or a hundred dollars lying by me.” “You must have a precious large allowance then, considering your want of economy in paying everybody just what they ask for their things.” “Oh, no! I don’t do that exactly, Mrs. Mier. If I consider the price of a thing too high, I don’t buy it.” “You paid too high for your strawberries to-day.” “Perhaps I did; although I am by no means certain.” “You can judge for yourself. Mine cost but eight cents, and you own that they are superior to yours at ten cents.” “Still, yours may have been too cheap, instead of mine too dear.”