"Why, you give it to me yourself," said the old lady in surprise.
"No, I only handed it to you to examine," said Paul.
"I thought, to be sure, you give it to me, and I was goin' to carry it to my darter Sarah Ann as a present. I'm goin' to spend a week with Sarah Ann."
Paul smiled.
He had met before unsophisticated travelers ready to impart their family affairs to any one sufficiently interested to listen to them.
"You can do it now," he said, "if you will buy the magazine. Every body likes to read Harper's."
"How much do you ax for it?" asked the old lady, cautiously.
"Thirty-five cents."
"Lands sake!" exclaimed the old lady, in dismay. "Thirty-five cents for a picture-book!"
"There's some very nice reading in it, ma'am," said Paul, patiently.