“And when grandma made more butter than she could use she sent it to the grocer,” added Mrs. Duwell.
“Where did the grocer get his stock of brooms, Ruth?” asked her father.
“From the broom-maker.”
“That is the idea. All who grew or made more things than they could use brought them to the grocer to be sold. So the grocer helped them and they helped him, and the people went to the store for their supplies.
“You must remember, children,” went on Mr. Duwell, “the old-fashioned country store was very different from Parker’s grocery around the corner. Besides groceries, it sold harness, horse blankets, hardware, shoes, and everything people needed.”
II. The Modern Grocer
“Suppose Wallace were a grocer, Ruth, how would you like his store to be kept?” asked her mother.
“Clean—oh, so clean!” replied Ruth.
“Yes, what else?”
“Full of shelves with all the packages and bottles and other things in their places.”