By Samuel Smyth

Grandpa told Mary that he saw a few blackberries in the pasture. Mary hastened to inform Mina that there were bushels of ripe blackberries in the pasture. Mina hurried to tell Jane, and almost breathlessly suggested that they go and get them before anybody else found them. Jane thought it would be more comfortable after sundown. Mina said that they would be gone before that time, and insisted that they go at once. Outnumbered, Jane reluctantly consented. Mary must change her dress; so must the other two. Much time was spent in that operation, for it included the special dressing of the hair, also. There was much impatience manifested by Mary, the first to declare herself ready; but after the others appeared she suddenly thought of several things that she must attend to. At last each inquired of the others, "Well, are you ready?"

"Yes, in a minute," said Mina. "I forgot to put on cold cream to prevent sunburn."

"So did I," said Jane; "and, Mary, you had better use some, also, or you will regret it."

"I think I will," said Mary; and a good half hour has passed before they are all downstairs again, when the old question was asked again, "Are you ready?"

"Had we better wear rubbers?" asked Jane.

"No," answered Mary, "but I am going upstairs to put on an old pair of shoes."

"That is sensible," said Mina. "I think we all had better follow Mary's example, as it won't take a minute."

Upstairs they all went again; much talk and another half hour passed when each made the declaration, "Well, I am ready, are you?" with much emphasis on the personal pronoun I.

"Are you coming with me?" said Mary, and she started in the direction of the pasture with great animation, when Jane inquired, in a loud voice, if she were not going to take something along to put the berries in.

"To be sure I am. In my hurry I entirely forgot it. What shall I take?" asked Mary.

"We ourselves have not yet decided. Which do you think would be better, Mary, a basket or a pail?"

"I don't know and I don't care what you take, I am going to take a paper bag," replied Mary. "It is light and convenient, and we can easily destroy all evidence of failure in case we fail to get any berries."

"Thank you, Mary, for the happy suggestion. We will take paper bags. What size will be suitable?"

"I think," said Jane, "that if we each fill a flour sack, that will be sufficient for once. It is such a job to carry so many or to make them into jam."

"To obviate any chance for envy as to which shall gather the greatest amount of berries, let us take along a common, large receptacle, into which each of us shall deposit as often as our smaller vessels shall be filled."

"That is a thoughtful and wise plan for an unambitious person. I assent to the proposition," smilingly answered Mina.

A bushel basket was found and all agreed to take turns in carrying it to the pasture. At last, the procession was formed, after several more short halts for consultation and criticism, and was finally under way for the pasture. But when in the highway, which they had to cross to reach the same, they were accosted by two ragged boys with, "Say, girls, do you want to buy any berries; only five cents a quart; twelve quarts—all there were in the pasture, every one, and it's the last picking of the season."

"Oh dear, I told you so; I knew it would be this way," said Mary petulantly; "some people are so slow."

"It is too provoking for anything," said Mina, "and it will be so humiliating to return to the house without any berries after making such a hullabaloo," sighed Jane.

"Oh, girls!" exclaimed Mary, "let's buy the berries of the boys and divide them between us. Let's see, twelve divided by three equals four; four quarts is a very reasonable and respectable amount for an ordinary person. You hold them while I run home and get the money."

After the transfer of the berries was completed, the three girls returned to the house, triumphantly smiling, and happy, with the twelve quarts of berries. Mingling with the rest of the family, I could not refrain from speaking about what fun it was to go berrying, when suddenly grandpa remarked, "that four quarts was a very reasonable and respectable amount for an ordinary person." Grandpa had been sitting on a fence, concealed by bushes, and had seen the whole performance.

A quick, suspicious, comprehensive glance passed between the conspirators, when the suspense was broken by the voice of the shock-headed boy who yelled out, "Say, girls, do you want to buy any more berries for tomorrow?"

"How provoking!" said Mary.

"How humiliating!" assented Mina.

"I feel so ashamed I shall never feel right again. Why did we dissemble? Prevarication is a kind of a lie; I never want to hear the word 'blackberries' again," moaned Jane.