“Shall I take these strawberries for thirty-seven and a half cents?” said the lady, the smile fading from her face.  “It is all I am willing to give.”

“If you wont pay any more, I musn’t stand for two cents and a half,” replied the woman, “although they would nearly buy a loaf of bread for the children,” she mentally added.

The four boxes were sold for the sum offered, and the woman lifted the tray upon her head, and moved on again.  The sun shone out still hotter and hotter as the day advanced.  Large beads of perspiration rolled from the throbbing temples of the strawberry-woman, as she passed wearily up one street and down another, crying her fruit at the top of her voice.  At length all were sold but five boxes, and now it was past one o’clock.  Long before this she ought to have been at home.  Faint from over-exertion, she lifted her tray from her head, and placing it upon a door-step, sat down to rest.  As she sat thus, a lady came up, and paused at the door of the house, as if about to enter.

“You look tired, my good woman,” she said kindly.  “This is a very hot day for such hard work as yours.  How do you sell your strawberries?”

“I ought to have ten cents for them, but nobody seems willing to give ten cents to-day, although they are very fine, and cost me as much as some I have got twelve and a half for.”

“How many boxes have you?”

“Five, ma’am.”

“They are very fine, sure enough,” said the lady, stooping down and examining them; “and well worth ten cents.  I’ll take them.”

“Thanky, ma’am.  I was afraid I should have to take them home,” said the woman, her heart bounding up lightly.

The lady rung the bell, for it was at her door that the tired strawberry-woman had stopped to rest herself.  While she was waiting for the door to be opened, the lady took from her purse the money for the strawberries, and handing it to the woman, said: 

“Here is your money.  Shall I tell the servant to bring you out a glass of cool water?  You are hot and tired.”

“If you please, ma’am,” said the woman, with a grateful look.

The water was sent out by the servant who was to receive the strawberries, and the tired woman drank it eagerly.  Its refreshing coolness flowed through every vein, and when she took up her tray to return home, both heart and step were lighter.

The lady whose benevolent feelings had prompted her to the performance of this little act of kindness, could not help remembering the woman’s grateful look.  She had not done much—­not more than it was every one’s duty to do; but the recollection of even that was pleasant, far more pleasant than could possibly have been Mrs. Mier’s self-gratulations at having saved ten cents on her purchase of five boxes of strawberries, notwithstanding the assurance of the poor woman who vended them, that, at the reduced rate, her profit on the whole would only be two cents and a half.