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Show She Was Posted on Ecg. An old woman with a green bonnet nnd umbrella to match approached a stall at the Center market and asked if the eggs exposed on the counter for sale were fresh. "We don't advertise to sell rotten ones, ma'am," said the dealer crustily. "No, I s'pose not," rejoined the customer. "I'd like two dozen, if you please; but I'm very partic'iar about havin' the black hens' egjfs always." The merchant of produce gazed upon her with au expression that was half indignation indigna-tion and half disgust. "How can I tell which were laid by black hens?" lie growled. "If you know just pick 'em out for yourself." The old woman smiled pleasantly, and proceeded to select from the basket those of the eggs which she designated as the black hens', while the dealer held a bag for their reception. Ho noticed that all of those she chose were of extra size. "The black hens seem to lay big eggs, ma'am," he said finally, when all the largest ones in his stock had been picked out. "Oh. yes," replied the old woman, as she paid for her purchase; "it's always so. Good clay!" After she had gone the merchant rubbed his chin thoughtfully for two orthrce minutes min-utes and then remarked to himself: "By Jove! I call that about the slickest trick I've had worked on me for many a day. Black hens' eggs, Indeed! All she wanted was a chance to pick out the big ones, and she goc it." With that, he looked not spitefully, hut admiringly, after the old woman and the green bonnet, who stood for twenty minutes at another etall near by and chaffered over the price of n terrapin, which she insisted ought to be cheap because the length of its toe nails was an infallible indication that it was old ami tough. Washington Star. |