Annie Kilburn
Page 43"Well, not if you want to call 'em native," said Gates.
"Yes, I'll take two bunches of asparagus, and some peas."
"Any strawberries?--natives?" suggested Gates.
"Nonsense!"
"Same thing; natives of Norfolk."
"You had better be honest with _me_, Mr. Gates," said Mrs. Munger.
"Yes, I'll take a couple of boxes."
"All right! Want 'em nice, and the biggest ones at the bottom of the box?"
"Yes, I do."
"That's what I thought. Some customers wants the big ones on top; but I
little laugh at his drollery, and kept his eyes on Annie. She smiled at
last, with permissive recognition, and Gates came forward. "Used to know
your father pretty well; but I can't keep up with the young folks any
more." He was really not many years older than Annie; he rubbed his right
hand on the inside of his long shirt, and gave it her to shake. "Well, you
haven't been about much for the last nine or ten years, that's a fact."
"Eleven," said Annie, trying to be gay with the hand-shaking, and wondering
if this were meeting the lower classes on common ground, and what Mr. Peck
would think of it.
hacked out another laugh, and stood on the curb-stone looking at Annie a
moment. Then he asked, "Anything else, Mrs. Munger?"
"No; that's all. Tell me, Mr. Gates, how _do_ Mr. Peck and Mr. Gerrish
get on?" asked Mrs. Munger in a lower tone.
"Well," said Gates, "he's workin' round--the deacon's workin' round
gradually, I guess. I guess if Mr. Peck was to put in a little more
brimstone, the deacon'd be all right. He's a great hand for brimstone,
you know, the deacon is."
Mrs. Munger laughed again, and then she said, with a proselyting sigh,
"Well, may be it _would_ be a good thing," said Gates, as Mrs. Munger
gathered up her reins and chirped to her pony.
"He isn't a member of Mr. Peck's church," she explained to Annie; "but
he's one of the society, and his wife's very devout Orthodox. He's a great
character, we think, and he'll treat you very well, if you keep on the
right side of him. They say he cheats awfully in the weight, though."